Another World: A New Era
by shriekingsiren
Summary: Far away from the Lake territories and their ancestors, and even further from the Tribe of Rushing Water, lies another territory, with another story to tell. When a dying leader's last words are a new prophecy, it is up to Fallenstar to make sense of the prophecy, the cats foretold, and the trouble that lies in wait.
1. Allegiances and Prologue

(A/N - ty for the reviewers who told me how to fix the formatting!)

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Allegiances

Mapleclan

Mapleclan is a clan of strong but nimble cats, best at silently moving among thick undergrowth undetected by enemies and prey alike.

Leader: Milkstar - elderly, pale silver tom with amber eyes, white paws, and a scar across his face

Deputy: Fallenbriar - dark gray she-cat with orange eyes a black- tipped tail

Apprentice, Lilypaw

Medicine Cat: Pricklestream - fluffy silver tabby she-cat with yellow eyes, a white chest, and white paws

Warriors: Pinewillow - dark brown she-cat with green eyes

Stonewind - mottled gray tom with blue eyes

Brackenfall - light brown tom

Apprentice, Flowerpaw

Streamleaf - sleek white she-cat with tabby patches and blue eyes

Needlefall - black tom with yellow eyes and a white-tipped tail

Barkpelt - brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Firepelt - bright ginger she-cat with dazzling blue eyes

Smokefur - fluffy gray tom with blue eyes

Molefleck - solid gray tom with yellow eyes

Snowwhisker - silver tabby she-cat with a white muzzle, white paws, and yellow eyes

Weedtail - brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Apprentices: Lilypaw - light brown she-cat with white paws and yellow eyes

Flowerpaw - brown tabby she-cat with green eyes

Queens: Gingertail - dark ginger she-cat with blue eyes, expecting Stonewind's kits

Mintleap - fuzzy gray she-cat (mother to Beekit, a ginger tabby tom, and Honeykit, a golden she-cat with amber eyes)

Elders: Sweetclaw - frail ginger she-cat, blind in one eye

Duckflight - gray tom with green eyes

Whiteleap - young white tom with broad shoulders and blue eyes, almost completely deaf

Beachclan

Beachclan is a clan of small but powerful cats, adept at swimming against the strong ocean currents to dive for fish, clams, and other shellfish in the sea.

Leader: Wavestar - slim blue-gray she-cat with yellow eyes

Deputy: Oakfall - calico she-cat with green eyes

Medicine Cat: Whisperpelt - light brown tabby tom with yellow eyes

Apprentice, Lightpaw - pale golden tom

Warriors: Sandfur - tawny tabby tom

Seashine - blue-gray she-cat with amber eyes

Apprentice, Rockpaw - dark gray tom

Yellowfoot - golden tabby tom

Greenbelly - pale silver tabby she-cat with green eyes

Deerfur - light brown tom

Apprentice, Harepaw - tawny tabby she-cat

Fawnflight - light brown she-cat with white patches of fur

Underfur - stocky black tom

Patchfall - gray and white tom

Queens: Hiddenflight - small, dark brown she-cat, expecting Yellowfoot's kits

Elders: Oceanmist - dark-gray she-cat with blue eyes, Wavestar and Seashine's elderly mother

Mountainclan

Mountainclan is the clan of lithe but thick-furred climbing cats who live among the cliff faces of the neighboring mountain range, where they also catch prey like large birds. They also fish out of the mountain streams.

Leader: Applestar - pale ginger tom

Apprentice, Tawnypaw - small tawny tom

Deputy: Irispetal - scrawny golden she-cat with darker golden patches

Medicine Cat: Brookfall - silver she-cat with dark tabby stripes

Warriors: Hangingclaw - mottled gray tom

Leapingpelt - strong silver tom

Apprentice, Lionpaw - fluffy golden tom

Hummingsong - beautiful tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes and white paws

Windcatcher - gray tabby tom

Apprentice, Flickerpaw - pale gray she-cat

Rabbitcrash - silver tabby she-cat with dark gray splotches

Eagletalon - massive black tom

Juniperfur - small brown she-cat

Queens: Grayflight - gray she-cat, expecting Applestar's kits

Turtlepelt - mottled brown she-cat (mother to Branchkit, a small brown she-kit, Minnowkit, a pale gray tom, and Clawkit, a mottled gray tom)

Elders: Feathertangle - wirey black she-cat with silver hairs flecking her fur

Owlclan

Owlclan is a clan of strong-legged warriors, who take to the trees as easily as owls. They find great comfort being high above the ground.

Leader: Talonstar - fluffy, dark gray tabby she-cat with yellow eyes

Deputy: Falconwing - gray tabby tom with a white chest, paws, and a black-tipped tail

Apprentice, Shadowpaw - black tom

Medicine Cat: Pointednose - fluffy white she-cat with a silver muzzle, ears, paws and tail

Warriors: Tansyfur - pale golden she-cat

Apprentice, Blackpaw - dark gray tom

Birdlight - pale brown tom

Twigfall - dark brown tabby she-cat

Apprentice, Cherrypaw - very dark ginger she-cat

Willowsong - pale gray she-cat

Darktuft - dark gray tabby tom

Shellflight - dark gray tom

Spinningbriar - beautiful white she-cat

Apprentice, Icepaw - pure white she-cat

Troutleap - dark brown tabby tom

Frogfur - red-brown tom

Queens: Webflight - pale silver she-cat (mother to Snakekit, a dark gray tabby tom, and Shadekit, a dark gray speckled she-kit)

Echomist - silver she-cat with dark gray tabby patches, expecting Falconwing's kits

Bumblewhisp - pale gray she-cat, expecting Birdlight's kits

Prologue

A dark gray cat sat outside a small bush, accompanied by a smaller tabby, her yellow eyes flashing in the moonlight.

"He is on his ninth life, is he not?" The dark gray cat whispered low enough to not wake any of the sleeping cats around her. The small tabby nodded.

"He is not to be with us much longer. Perhaps you should fetch Snowwhisker." The tabby flicked her tail toward a fallen tree, under which the shapes of several sleeping cats could be seen. The dark she-cat treaded quietly over and roused a pale silver she-cat, signaling to keep her voice low.

"Is it his time, Fallenbriar?" The she cat's mew was laced with worry. The dark she-cat nodded.

"Pricklestream says his time is near, Snowwhisker. I believe we should all say our farewells to our old friend." The pale cat nodded and slipped into the bush outside which they were guarded, the leaves rustling behind her.

Soft murmuring could be heard within the den, one of the voices a low, raspy whisper. The scent of fear and sorrow tinged the air, though hardly undetectable under a much stronger smell - sickness.

The medicine cat had been trying for moons to help the elderly cat recover from his cough and regain his strength, but the illness was resistant to every herb she attempted and his 7th and 8th life had slipped away quickly in the moon before tonight. Now, though the stars shone and the greenleaf air was warm, tragedy was about to strike their clan.

Snowwhisker slipped back out, her eyes misting with sadness as she sat outside her dying father's den. Fallenbriar and Pricklestream went inside the den, choked by the stench of death.

Milkstar's once powerful body looked small and shriveled inside his nest. His pelt was clinging to his frame with fevered sweat, showing the outline of every bone, as if each rib was a piece of prey he had been unable to eat. His amber eyes were clouded as he watched the two she cats settle near his nest.

"You have served me well, Fallenbriar," he rasped, his voice weak. "I know Mapleclan will be blessed to have you as their next leader." The dark cat dipped her head, her chest welling with sorrow for her old friend. Suddenly, he stiffened, seeming more alert than he had in moons. "A time of great trouble is coming!" He gasped. _"Upon the day ice rains from the sky, a sudden death shall bring the destruction of Clankind!"_ He struggled for another breath. " _Only warmth can heal!"_

Upon his final words, the sickly cat exhaled his last breath. Fallenbriar exchanged an alarmed glance with Pricklestream, her pelt bristling.

 _A prophecy?_ She thought. _But what could it mean?_


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Honeykit blinked her eyes open against the dim light in the nursery. For the first time since she was born, she looked around her. The branches of the maple trees surrounding her arched high above her, woven over moons to provide near complete cover. Despite this, a few beams of sunlight continued to trickle through and dapple her denmates's pelts.

She took a breath through her nose and tried to discern the scents. _The one who smells like milk… that must be Mintleap!_ She turned toward the smell to see her mother, a fluffy gray she-cat, snoring softly. Buried under the mass of gray fluff she could see a tabby pelt. _That must be Beekit,_ she thought. She could recognize his smell from her first few days with her eyes closed, when all she was aware of was her brother and her mother.

There was one other cat in the den, a dark ginger she-cat, who was washing her fact, unaware of her awoken denmate. Honeykit did not know her name, but her belly was round with kits, their tiny movements just visible if she watched close enough. She opened her mouth to say hello, then looked anxiously at her mother and brother. Would they be angry if she woke them?

As if hearing her thoughts, the dark ginger she-cat looked up. "Honeykit!" She purred, her blue eyes sparkling like pools of water. "You're awake!"

Honeykit blinked, surprised that the she-cat was so bright. "Hi," she whispered, again glancing anxiously at her kin. The ginger cat purred.

"Don't worry about those lazy cats," she meowed, heaving herself to her paws. She padded over to Mintleap's nest and jabbed her gently with a forepaw. "I'm Gingertail, by the way. Mintleap! Honeykit is awake!"

Mintleap immediately opened her eyes, her gaze finding her kit almost immediately. "Hello little one!" She jumped up, dislodging the snoozing Beekit, and licked her daughter's head warmly. "I'm so glad you are finally awake with your eyes open."

 _Finally?_ She thought. "I've been awake before!" She protested. Her mother's eyes shone.

"I know, my sweet daughter," she purred. Her gaze clouded briefly and her purr broke before quickly licking her daughter again. "But it took you a while. I'm just very glad you're okay."

Beekit scampered up to his sister, giving her a good sniff. "You smell like me!" He chirped, before looking at his mother. "Can we go outside? I want to bring her to meet Sweetclaw!"

Honeykit realized how much bigger her brother was than her, even though they had been kitted at the same time. "Who's Sweetclaw? How do you know her? Have you been outside already?"

He nodded. "Mintleaf wasn't sure you would wake up, and I was bored, so I got to meet the elders. Whiteleap can barely hear me, even if I yell, and Duckflight is grumpy and just wants to nap in the sun." He looked his sister up and down. "But you woke up! Come on!"

Honeykit glanced at her mother, who nodded, approving of her finally leaving her den for the first time. As she padded after Beekit, she wondered what he meant when he said Mintleaf wasn't sure she would wake up.

It was a short walk to another den, a fir tree with low hanging branches. The branches had thick leaves of some sort weaved in, almost like the walls of the nursery. Honeykit could barely smell the cats inside, overwhelmed by the bright lights and intense smells outside the den. Her brother brushed inside through a gap in the branches and she quickly followed, anxious about being alone in the grassy clearing of her camp.

"Hello, Beekit!" A skinny ginger she-cat sat in the corner of the den, beckoning her brother closer with her tail. "Don't tell me you've brought Honeykit at last!"

Her brother nodded proudly as he ran over to the elderly warrior. "I did!" He mewed. "Honeykit! This is Sweetclaw."

The tiny she-cat dipped her head to Sweetclaw. "Hello," she squeaked, suddenly anxious about meeting new cats. "It's big outside."

The elderly cat chuckled, her whiskers twitching in amusement. "Indeed, young one," she purred, eyeing the new kit. Honeykit noticed one of her eyes was milky white, compared to the other green one. "But you have so much more beyond this to explore. Just you wait." Her gaze flicked to Beekit. "Would you like more stories, young warrior?"

The tiny tom nodded aggressively, his eyes wide. Honeykit settled beside him, watching the old she cat as she spoke about the days of her apprenticeship. "When I was young, Milkstar - Milkdrop then - was my mentor. He was a young warrior, only a few seasons older than myself, and he hadn't seen much of the world yet. No cat in the clan could have guessed he'd be the noble leader the other clans came to respect so honorably." Her one clear eye looked sorrowful for a moment before she laughed again. "There was one time we were patrolling and he got his hind paw stuck in a tangle of roots. He was okay, but boy did he yell!"

"Who's Milkstar?" Honeykit interrupted Sweetclaw, but she didn't seem to mind.

"Ah yes, you two didn't get to meet him. He joined Starclan the night before you were kitted, as if to make sure your souls were guided to this earth safely. Unfortunately, the illness that took him had creeped its way into the rest of the clan, and it took your sister."

Honeykit blinked, confused. _Sister?_ She thought. _But I only have Beekit as a littermate!_ "Who?"

Sweetclaw looked at her sympathetically. "Your sister, Flightkit," she said, her voice low with sorrow. "You had the sickness too. We thought it was going to take you for over a quarter moon. Now, though," she mewed, and her voice picked up again, "you're here! You are healed, and strong!"

Honeykit watched the old she cat and tried to listen as she began to rattle off again about her days with Milkstar as her mentor, but her mind was clouded. She didn't remember being sick. She hardly even remembered anything before she'd opened her eyes this morning. She let out a yawn before turning and leaving her brother to stay with Sweetclaw.

As she pushed out of the branches, she noticed that more cats were beginning to come into the clearing. A young brown tabby was talking to another young cat, this one brown with white paws, while they sat outside yet another den. A dark brown she-cat was chatting with a black tom, her eyes occasionally checking the roots of a very large tree, outside of which a dark gray cat stood.

Honeykit watched as a light brown tom pushed his way out of a thicket of blackberry bushes. He was headed toward the two young she-cats when he caught sight of the golden she-kit. "Honeykit?" He called, his mew questioning but sharp. She tipped her head then padded cautiously toward him. Had she done something wrong?

"Oh, it is you!" His voice broke into a purr as he licked her ears. Honeykit felt herself grow hot with embarrassment. She didn't even know this cat! He looked at her, his excited gaze meeting hers. "Ah, you don't remember me." He sat down and wrapped his tail around his paws. "I'm Brackenfall. I'm your father!"

As soon as he said his name, vague memories washed over her and she soon realized she recognized his scent. "You came to see me before!" Her father nodded, and she bumped her head against him affectionately.

"Have you been visiting with your grandmother?" He asked, his mew kind. Honeykit furrowed her brow in confusion. "Sweetclaw?"

"Ah," she said, nodding. "I didn't know she was my grandmother!"

Her father nodded and looked toward the elder's den. "She's my mother! I'm so glad she was around to see you and your littermate be kitted, and even more glad she was around to meet you. She can be grumpy, but she loves her kin above all else. Be sure you listen to her," he added. "She has much to teach you."

Honeykit purred. _I have kin!_ She thought. She turned again too look at the clan, trying to figure out who else could be her kin. As she looked around, she noticed the dark gray cat again. This time, she was staring right at Honeykit, her orange eyes narrowed. "Brackenfall," Honeykit mewed, "who is that cat?"

"That's Fallenstar," he answered, following her gaze. "She's the leader. She's only been the leader for just under a half moon, but she's getting the hang of it." He looked around at the other cats. "The young brown tabby is Flowerpaw. She's my apprentice. The one with the white paws next to her is Lilypaw, her sister, and Fallenstar's apprentice. That dark brown cat, next to the black one? That's Pinewillow, and the black cat is Needlefall. He's the deputy."

"Why is Fallenstar… looking at me?" She asked, her mew laced with anxiety. What if, because she was sick as a kit, Fallenstar thought she shouldn't be outside the nursery and she was in trouble? _What if she thinks I shouldn't be here at all?_

"I'm sure she's just trying to figure out who you are. She hasn't met you yet. She received her nine lives the night you were born." Brackenfall flicked his tail, then rose to his paws. "I should be going. Flowerpaw and I are going on a hunting patrol. I'll come see you later," he added, when his daughter began to look crestfallen. "I'll make sure to bring your mother something to eat."

Honeykit nodded, then began to walk back to the nursery. As she walked, though, she felt eyes burning into her pelt. Just before whisking into the nursery, she again saw Fallenstar watching her through narrowed eyes, and she couldn't help but feel something odd was going on.


	3. Chapter 2

Fallenstar woke, the pale light of the rising sun trickling into her den. Nearly four moons had passed since she had received her nine lives, and she was finally starting to get used to the idea that she was leading Mapleclan.

The scent of her new mate, Smokefur, still hung in the air, though it was beginning to grow stale. He suspected he was still uneasy about becoming mates with the leader of his clan, let alone how many seasons older than him she was, but she brushed the thought off. _I am not an old cat,_ she thought, pushing out into the clearing.

Her thoughts of Smokefur and her age disappeared as she caught sight of the clan's kits wrestling outside the nursery. Once weak and frail, Honeykit had grown strong, her fur less like a kit's and more like an apprentices now. She rivaled her brother, Beekit, in size as well as wits, and kept the whole clan on their toes.

Fallenstar had suspicions about her, though. While Starclan had not specifically stated that Honeykit was the "honey" foretold in the prophecy, the timing of her birth seemed too close to the delivering of the new prophecy to be just a coincidence.

"Thinking about the prophecy again?" Pricklestream's mew startled Fallenstar, the leader's fur bushing up for a moment before lying flat again. "You know you stare at that kit far too much. I think she notices." She flicked her fluffy tail in the direction of the golden she-kit, who was staring at the leader with wide amber eyes.

Fallenstar gave her chest a few quick licks to hide her embarrassment at again being caught staring at Honeykit. "Of course I am," she mewed cooly. "The prophecy spoke of a time of trouble and peace needing to be found. As of now, we have no trouble, and I constantly feel as if I'm waiting for the sky to fall." She shook her head. "We can't know for sure that she will bring about the peace after the sky _does_ fall, but…"

Her voice trailed as Pricklestream nodded in solemn agreement. There had to be a reason that even though Honeykit was just as sick as Flightkit was, she'd survived. The leader's heart fell as she remembered Mintleap's low wails when the tiny kit had died before even opening her eyes. She remembered the panic in Brackenfall's eyes when Pricklestream had refused to say whether or not Honeykit would share the same fate.

Lilypaw padded up to her, interrupting her thoughts. "Good morning!" The apprentice's tail was high, and her eyes shone. She knew what today could be for her.

"Ah, the early apprentice gets the warrior name, huh?" Fallenstar purred, watching Flowerpaw pad anxiously from her den. "I suppose you're ready to begin then."

Brackenfall walked over to where Lilypaw and Fallenstar were and sat down, a deep purr rumbling in his throat. "No assessments will begin without my late riser!" He gestured fondly toward Flowerpaw, who had seen them and was rushing over.

"I didn't wake up late!" She huffed, her eyes wide with embarrassment.

"It's true," Lilypaw confirmed, a laugh creeping into her mew. "In fact, the sap-for-brains hardly slept." She licked her sister's ear fondly, her yellow eyes shining.

"Well, now that you're _finally_ here," Brackenfall said, twitching his ears at Flowerpaw's rising mew of indignation, "we should talk about what the plan for today is."

Fallenstar nodded, leading her clanmates out of camp. She would miss having Lilypaw as an apprentice, but she knew the young cat would be a brilliant warrior - one that her clan would be honored to have. "Lilypaw, I'm going to send you toward the stream on the Owlclan border. I want you to hunt there and then, after you catch a suitable amount of prey, come back here and wait for further instruction. Flowerpaw," she glanced at the tabby briefly, "I want you to hunt toward the Beachclan border on the end furthest from the Willow Grove. Aside from that, your instructions are the same as Lilypaw's."

The two she-cats nodded, Flowerpaw's excitement starting to grow, as if she was suddenly understanding what this meant. The sisters had been ready to be warriors for nearly a moon, but Fallenstar had wanted to wait until Beekit and Honeykit were six moons old. She soon realized, though, that the clan would benefit more from two brilliant young warriors than two overgrown apprentices.

The young cats took off in differing directions, and Fallenstar sat with Brackenfall for a moment. "Where are you planning to ambush her?" She purred, knowing the clan's best-kept secret - that every apprentice will be surprise attacked by their mentor in their final assessment.

"Near the Towering Maple," he chuckled, amusement showing in his eyes. "I imagine she'll be so focused on her next task, or whatever piece of prey she's stalking, that she won't sense me."

The leader nodded, her heart warm. Flowerpaw was always hyper focused and could never keep her brain in two places - she wouldn't notice her mentor until he was bowling her over. "I'm going to get Lilypaw in the marsh," she purred. "She has sharp senses, and the only way she'll ever be fooled is if I ambush her in the smelliest place possible."

Brackenfall nodded, rising to his feet. "Well," he meowed, "we better be off to stalking our prey then. See you later, Fallenstar."

She nodded toward her friend before turning around and following Lilypaw's scent trail. Immediately she noted the young cat was following the scent trail of a squirrel, and before long, she found the place where the skilled apprentice killed her prey. The squirrel was buried under a pile of leaves, and Fallenstar dug it up to inspect it. The killing bite was clean, and it looked as if it had been just one blow. Beaming with pride, she buried the squirrel, knowing her teachings of respect had gone over well in her apprentice.

Returning to her original task, she followed the scent trail down the slope to the Owlclan border. The ground was beginning to sop beneath Fallenstar's paws, and she knew her time of battle was coming. She saw her apprentice stalking a large crow, her prey too involved in it's own lunch to realize it was about to become someone else's.

In a flash of brown fur, Lilypaw leaped onto the black bird and delivered a swift killing blow. "Thank you, Starclan," the leader heard her breathe before she continued on her path. Fallenstar set her paws down quietly, assured she was downwind from the sharp apprentice, and began to creep up on the unsuspecting cat. When she was less than a fox-length behind her, the apprentice's ears pricked in alarm, but it was too late. Fallenstar was already on her back, her claws sheathed as she batted Lilypaw's back quickly. In an instant, the young she-cat rolled over, nearly crushing her mentor under her weight, before spinning to face her attacker. Confusion flashed through her eyes briefly, before understanding, and she put her claws away before pouncing onto the gray leader.

Fallenstar may have been bigger than her apprentice, but Lilypaw knew how to use it to her advantage. She glided under the larger cat's belly, nipping her mentor's legs as she passed by, causing the leader to lose her balance. Lilypaw quickly pushed her over and pinned her down, baring her muzzle in Fallenstar's face. For a heartbeat, the leader was actually afraid of the apprentice.

"Well done," she meowed, and shoved her opponent off of her. "Fought like a true warrior."

Lilypaw's eyes shined. "Do you mean…?"

"Yes, Lilypaw," the leader purred. "You passed your assessment. You will be sitting your warrior vigil tonight."

"Lilyglimmer! Flowerleap! Lilyglimmer! Flowerleap!" The clan chanted the new warriors's names as the sisters beamed with pride. Flowerleap, too, had passed her assessment, shocking Brackenfall with her ferocity and sensing him far sooner than he had anticipated.

"Congratulations," Fallenstar purred, touching her muzzle to her former apprentices shoulder. Lilyglimmer purred so loudly she could hardly get a word out, and the leader nodded in understanding. She could easily recall the day she received her warrior name, Milkstar naming her after her late mother, Briarwillow.

"You will have to sit vigil tonight," she promised, and the two cats nodded solemnly. "But first, we will feast!" Again, her clan cheered around her, eager to celebrate the success of their clanmates.

"I already have your nest made!" Molefleck, no longer the clan's newest warrior, purred to Flowershine. Fallenstar's eyes glinted with amusement, pleased to know that her clan would continue to thrive.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Honeykit's pale fur glowing in the dim light of the sunset. She met eyes with the kit and gave her the smallest nod. _It will be you, soon,_ she promised in her head. _You have no clue about the path that lies before you._


	4. Chapter 3

"Come on, Honeypaw!" Her brother was shouldering his mentor, Stonewind, out of the way, eager to be a part of the dawn patrol. Honeypaw stifled a yawn as she padded after Streamleaf, her own mentor.

"I don't know why you're so eager to spray some trees," she grumbled, pausing to stretch her legs after she exited the bracken tunnel in the camp barrier. The air was crisp and the world dull and gray around her, as if even the trees were upset that leaf-bare had arrived. "We've never even managed to meet another patrol."

Beepaw's ears twitched, clearly annoyed with his littermate's grumpiness. "Maybe we'll meet one today," he chirped after a second, and raced toward the Mountainclan border. Honeypaw groaned and followed him, their mentors purring at the tail end of the patrol.

By the time they'd returned to camp, it was nearly sunhigh, the weak sun casting short shadows across the grassy clearing that Honeypaw called home. She settled in to her afternoon washing, eager to remove the dirt and dust from the morning's patrol.

"Honeypaw!" The pale she-cat turned her head at the sound of her mentor's voice. "Come here! Fallenstar would like to speak with us."

"Coming!" She called, her paws prickling as she walked. _Why does Fallenstar want to talk to me?_ She wondered, her anxiety growing with every pawstep across the clearing. _Has she decided I can't train after all? I'm all recovered from the sickness from moons ago! She can't change her mind now!_

She hurried into the leader's den, nearly hitting her head off of the thick roots of the tree that Fallenstar lived under. Inside the den was surprisingly large, the roof of the den arching nearly a tail length above Fallenstar's ears, supported by an intricate tangle of roots and stones. Had it not been for her leader's impatient tail-flick, she could have stared around her for moons.

"I'm sure you're wondering why I've called you here," Fallenstar began, her gaze burning into Honeypaw's pelt. Honeypaw nodded. "Well," the older she-cat continued. "There is a part of every apprentice's training that must not be forgotten, and I have decided that it is time you took your turn. You, Streamleaf and I will be going to The Place of Thunder. Or, as you call it, the Moonfalls."

Honeypaw widened her eyes. "Thank you!" She purred, excitement bubbling up inside her. "I didn't think I would get to go so soon! Flowershine said she went almost two seasons after she had started her training!"

Fallenstar nodded, her eyes still burning into Honeypaw's pelt. "Normally, you would just visit while I share tongues with Starclan, but I'd like to start a new tradition where the apprentices, too, will be able to share tongues with our ancestors." Honeypaw grew cold at the thought of meeting with her ancestors. Would she get to see Milkstar? Or perhaps she'd get to meet her mother's parents, or cat's she'd never even heard of before! The thought terrified her, but it made her pelt tingle with excitement.

"When do we get to leave?" The golden apprentice mewed excitedly. Streamleaf flicked her tail dismissively, as if she was annoyed at her apprentice's excitement.

"We'll have to leave shortly after the dawn patrol tomorrow. We could leave today, but with it being more than just me traveling, I'd like to travel along the borders of Owlclan and Beachclan until we get there." Fallenstar twitched her ears. "Make sure you eat well tonight and get your traveling herbs in the morning. It is a longer journey than you will expect, and we don't want to be late because you decided to hunt."

Honeypaw nodded, eager to boast to her brother that she would finally be _first_ at something. Mintleap had always chided them when they bickered, saying that they would each get their chance to outshine the other, but it was always Beepaw who was better. _He_ was bigger, _he_ caught the first piece of prey out of the two of them. Even during their apprentice ceremony, which they were at together, Fallenstar had called _his_ name first.

After being dismissed from her leader's den, she raced to where her kin was sunbathing in what little sun they had and sharing prey. "Guess what!" She called loudly, causing her father to look up as she came careening in front of him.

"What is it? Is your tail on fire?" While Brackenfall's tone sounded annoyed, his eyes shone and his whiskers twitched with amusement. Honeypaw shook her head vigorously before sitting down and wrapping her tail around her paws.

" _I_ get to go to the Moonfalls," she purred, secretly enjoying the jealous look on her brother's face. Mintleap jumped to her paws and licked her kit's ears furiously.

"Are you sure you're ready for that journey? Usually most 'paws are a bit older when they make that journey." Her yellow eyes were wide with anxiety as she turned to her mate. "What is Fallenstar _thinking?_ "

Honeypaw puffed out her chest with indignation. "I'm not some sickly kit anymore, mama. Fallenstar thinks I'm ready, _and_ she says I'm the first apprentice who will get to share tongues with Starclan while I'm there." She paused, upset her mother still looked worried. "Aren't you excited for me?"

Mintleap shook her pelt briefly. "Of course I am, my sweet daughter," she purred, giving Honeypaw's ears another affectionate lick. "It's just such a long way, and I'd have hoped you'd be a bit older before you made this journey. That's all."

Brackenfall nodded, though he looked less concerned than her mother. "I know you will do just fine," he murmured. "You are such a strong cat who has overcome so much in your short life. This will be like jumping over a small brook."

The pale she-cat closed her eyes and purred once more, relishing her father's praise. Beepaw's face was still twisted with jealousy. _It'll be your turn soon,_ she thought, nudging her brother with her shoulder. His face seemed to melt, as if he could hear her, and he settled in beside her. _But it's my turn first._

* * *

Honeypaw sleepily blinked open her eyes, shoving the cat who was prodding her flank off of her, until she realized what today was.

 _I'm going to the Moonfalls!_ She thought, jumping to her paws. Streamleaf was beside her, motioning for her to keep quiet as they sneaked past the still-sleeping Beepaw. The sun was just barely above the horizon, causing the sky to turn a pale gray color as they quietly tiptoed into Pricklestream's den.

"Good morning!" The medicine cat was fully awake, and though her tone was hushed, Honeypaw could hear the excitement in her mew. "Here's a bundle for you, Streamleaf, and one for you Honeypaw." The tabby's yellow eyes glimmered as she watched the apprentice gobble up the foul-tasting leaves. "Remember, Honeypaw, if you need some cat to talk to you about what you see tonight, I'm always here."

Honeypaw nodded, confused at the offer. She was certain she would just see some of her passed on kin and get to know them. She didn't need guidance from her warrior ancestors on anything else! She wasn't a medicine cat! "T-thanks," she stuttered, turning to head out of the den. Fallenstar was already waiting in the center of the clearing, her dark-gray pelt well groomed and regal in case they met any challenging patrols on the trek to the ocean's edge.

"Are you ready?" The leader's orange eyes met hers calmly. "Are you nervous?"

Honeypaw nodded. "I've never traveled this far in a day before," she confessed. "And I've never shared dreams with our warrior ancestors. I don't know what to expect."

Fallenstar flicked her tail dismissively. "I cannot give you any words to soothe you," she meowed, her tone sympathetic. "I just know that where we are going we will be safe. I am sure that Starclan is anxious to speak with you."

The apprentice blinked, confused for a moment, but brushed it off. Once Fallenstar and Streamleaf rose, she quickly followed them, matching their pace. Excitement continued to bubble beneath her as they headed south toward the Owlclan border.

By the time they'd reached the border, the sun was already well on it's way into the sky. "We'd best not stop," Fallenstar remarked, before heading along the line where Mapleclan marked their border. Suddenly, the leader stopped, raising her black-tipped tail to warn her party to wait. "Owlclan warriors!"

Streamleaf looked at Honeypaw. "Remember to keep your claws sheathed. We are on our way to the Moonfalls, and we are blessed a safe passage by Starclan."

The enemy patrol approached them, hackles raised and teeth bared. "Fallenstar!" A gray tabby hissed, his black-tipped tail lashing back and forth. He was followed closely by a black apprentice and a dark brown tabby she-cat. "What are you doing here?"

Fallenstar met his eyes, her cool gaze unwavering. "Put your claws away, Falconwing," she scoffed. "We are on our way to the Moonfalls. We do not wish to pass through your territory, only along the borders. Unless, of course, you decide to grant us safe passage through your territory."

Falconwing's green eyes blazed with fury. "You may be on your way to the Moonfalls, but we offer you no safety within our borders. Put one hair inside our scent markers," he added, looking Honeypaw and Streamleaf top to bottom as if they were rabid foxes, "we will shred you."

Honeypaw watched in awe, her eyes wide. The hostility from the Owlclan warrior seemed unwarranted to her, they weren't even in their territory. Just as she opened her mouth to spit something at the harsh tom, Fallenstar whisked her tail across her mouth.

"As you wish, Falconwing," the Mapleclan leader said calmly, while dipping her head. She moved another fox length within Mapleclan territory and then beckoned her party to come with her.

"Why was he such a fox heart?" Honeypaw asked, her fur bristling with fury. Streamleaf shot her a look of warning for her harsh words, but Fallenstar looked amused.

"Falconwing has always been touchy," the gray cat mewed, her whiskers twitching. "But since the recent battles, I imagine Talonstar has told her deputy and his patrols to shred any and all Mapleclan cats found within the borders."

 _That was the deputy?_ Honeypaw thought, bewildered that someone so harsh could be entrusted with the care of the clan. "What have the battles been over?"

Streamleaf looked at her apprentice, as if warning her to tread lightly while Fallenstar continued to explain. "Many moons ago, when I was just a young warrior, Milkstar and Talonstar got into a border skirmish over fresh-kill being caught within Owlclan borders. Milkstar always maintained that the prey theft was not a result of our hunting, but Talonstar is headstrong. Anyway," she glanced back, her orange eyes clouded. "One of the skirmishes resulted in the death of the former Owlclan deputy, Snowfoot, and an Owlclan apprentice, Volepaw. None of our warriors killed them in battle, mind you, but their injuries were too extensive to heal before infection set in."

Honeypaw nodded. She believed that Mapleclan would never hunt outside it's borders; it was against the warrior code, after all. She allowed the rest of the journey to travel in silence, only stopping once to allow for making dirt before continuing on.

Just as the sun was beginning to slip below the trees, casting long shadows on the three she-cats, Honeypaw began to hear a faint thundering in the distance. As they approached, it only grew louder.

"Is that the Moonfalls?" Her mew was laced with fear; she was not used to such loud sounds and unusual smells all at once. Streamleaf nodded and gave her ear a comforting lick.

"It's a harsh sound, but you will get used to it quickly." Her mentor's eyes betrayed a glimmer of excitement, and Honeypaw realized as they padded onwards that it must have been a privilege for her to go on this patrol as well.

At last, a thick river which glowed orange in the sunset became visible through the trees. Honeypaw watched it's course with her eyes and could not stifle her gasp of shock when she saw it disappear into a thundering hole in the ground.

"Come on, then," Fallenstar ordered briskly, turning around. Ahead of her was a vast expanse of sparkling blue water which smelled of salt, it's white waves crashing loudly onto the shore below them.

The leader jumped over the edge of the ridge, seemingly disappearing into where the ocean met the land. Honeypaw let out a cry of horror and raced to the edge, relieved to see her leader only a couple of tail lengths below her. She and her mentor followed the gray she-cat's path to where there was a stream flowing from the stone wall of the ridge.

Fallenstar slipped into a hole about a fox length away from the stream, her dark figure disappearing into the shadows. The pale apprentice hesitated before following her leader and plunging into the pitch black of the Moonfalls.


	5. Chapter 4

Honeypaw blinked as her eyes adjusted to the darkness around her, now able to make out the dark shadow that was Fallenstar and the patchy glow of Streamleaf. As they grew closer to the sound of thunder in the cave, it slowly became lighter around them. Finally, she was face to face with a towering waterfall, it's mist causing her fur to grow damp.

"Welcome to the Moonfalls," Fallenstar purred into her ear, her voice warm. "In just a few moments, you will have the privilege of sharing with our warrior ancestors for the first time. For now, settle in away from the spray as the moon climbs."

The golden apprentice nodded and followed her mentor to where a bit of rock jutted out, guarding them from the splashing of the falls. Honeypaw struggled to remain calm as the thundering sounds deafened and overwhelmed her, and the growing brightness of the cave did not help. At last, Fallenstar motioned for her to come forward with a flick of her tail, guiding her to the water's edge.

"Take a few drinks of the water," she yelled, her voice being nearly drowned by the sounds that echoed around them. "Then settle in. It will not feel so wet soon!"

Her promise gave Honeypaw another burst of excitement, and she quickly padded forward to drink from the pool surrounding the waterfall. The water was ice cold and briefly chilled her to the bone before filling the young apprentice with a warm glow. The warmth seemed to take her over until she felt her body stiffen and her eyes close.

When she blinked open her amber eyes, she was in a sunny glade, surrounded by lush forest. _Am I dreaming?_ she thought to herself, her eyes glancing around for any signs of life. Prey-scent was all around her, but her belly felt full, and she felt as if she could run to the Mountains and back.

"Hello, young one," a deep voice said behind her. She spun around to see a pale cat walking toward her, his amber eyes glowing as his muscled rippled with each step. "Welcome to Starclan's hunting grounds."  
Honeypaw blinked. "Milkstar?" She was guessing, but the name seemed to come from whispers in her ears that she could barely catch passing by. The tom nodded, a deep purr rumbling in his chest as he sat down. Several more cats followed him, young and old, starlight dusting their paws as they seemed to float across the lush greenery.

"These are your fallen clanmates," the former leader explained, gesturing to the star-dusted cats behind him. "This is Fowlcall, and the young she-cat beside him is Greenpaw. They are distant kin, from long ago." A large brown and black tom sat beside a small silver tabby, her green eyes shining. "With them is Whitewillow, your mother's mother, Oliveclaw, your mother's father, and Crowpelt, your father's father." All of her kin watched her with close interest, and Honeypaw could see herself in all of them - the warmth in Whitewillow's green eyes, and Oliveclaw's deep amber gaze matching her own. Crowpelt was small but muscular, and looked more like Beepaw than Honeypaw, but the shape of his muzzle and the way he sat with his head high was mirrored in his grandkit.

"Why are they all here?" Honeypaw's voice was laced with confusion. She had been eager to meet her kin who had passed on, but she had not expected so many. Before Milkstar had a chance to answer, she caught sight of a smaller shape padding from the shadows. "Flightkit!" Her mew caught in her throat. She could barely remember the scent of the kitten even though they had been born together, but she knew from the small cat's likeness to her mother that it must be her sister.

Milkstar flicked his tail. "Indeed," he said, his voice shrouded with impatience. "We do not have much time, Honeypaw, but we must tell you something."

The apprentice tipped her head slightly, narrowing her eyes. "Alright," she mewed cautiously.

" _Sweet as honey, thick as thieves,"_ the ancestors mewed, many voices intertwining to become one. " _Only when the break is healed can peace return!"_

Honeypaw gasped, her amber eyes wide with fear. "Am I the honey?" She asked, her voice barely a whisper. Milkstar gazed at her, his eyes betraying nothing.

"I cannot tell you," he mewed, almost wishfully. "Just remember where your loyalties lie, Honeypaw. Your clan depends on it!"

In a blink, Honeypaw was awake again, her pelt drenched by the cool spray. Fallenstar had already awoken, her orange eyes watching her closely in the pale light. Without a word, the Mapleclan cats headed back to the entrance of the cave. The apprentices mind was still reeling. _Where my loyalties lie? I've never done anything against Mapleclan!_ Her lips curled in a snarl at the thought. _Nor would I_ ever _!_

"Streamleaf," Fallenstar's voice broke through Honeypaw's thoughts as they reached the top of the ridge once again. "Why don't you stay a few fox lengths ahead? I would like to speak with Honeypaw."

The patched warrior nodded, then sprinted forward along the path for a few moments. When the leader was sure she was out of earshot, she beckoned the golden apprentice to walk alongside her. "Did you share dreams with Starclan?" The gray she-cat betrayed nothing, but Honeypaw thought she detected a hint of curiosity in her voice.

"I did," she mewed. Suddenly, something came together in her mind. "Did you know about the prophecy? Is that why you're always staring at me?"

Fallenstar ducked her head in embarrassment, then nodded. "I've known since before you were kitted. When your mother named you, Pricklestream and I seemed to share the same thoughts - you were the cat spoken of in the prophecy."

Honeypaw's head spun. "Do you know what it means? Milkstar told me to remember where my loyalties lie, but I would _never_ betray our clan!" Her tail lashed at the thought and she subconsciously unsheathed her claws.

"I know that," her leader said, her tone unwavering. "But you cannot see your own future. You may have a path that is destined to split between several choices, and you must remember to choose where your loyalties remain your priority." The leader blinked thoughtfully. "It will be interesting to see how the next few seasons progress now that you know. This doesn't mean you are any different than any cat," she added sternly. "It just means that your destiny is going to be a bit more difficult to follow."

The apprentice nodded, although she still didn't understand. She sped up to meet her mentor and allowed the rest of the journey to continue in silence, broken only by her mentor's brief guidance on scents and prying questions.

When they arrived at camp, the sun was beginning to sink again, and Honeypaw felt as if she could sleep for a moon. Beepaw was bubbling with questions.

"What was it like? Was it loud? Did Fallenstar meet Starclan? Did _you_ meet Starclan? Did you figure out when I'm gonna get to go?" Her brother continued on, but Honeypaw covered her muzzle with her paw crossly.

"I'll let you know in the morning," she snapped. "I've just traveled farther than you can imagine. Now _shut up_ and let me sleep!"

Beepaw looked sullen, and for a moment the young she-cat felt guilty for snapping at her brother. However, when she realized he had finally fallen silent, she didn't even have time to think before the darkness called her and she gave way to sleep.


	6. Chapter 5

Fallenstar stretched as she padded out of her den, the greenleaf sun warming her fur. "Good morning, Pricklestream!" She called as a greeting to the fluffy she-cat, who nodded in return.

The leaf-bare had been harder than she'd remembered since she was an apprentice, with prey so scarce they had to venture further west into unmarked territory. Thankfully they had met no challengers there, and the extra land had given them the amount of prey they needed to make it through the rest of the cold season.

Newleaf had brought it's challenges as well, especially with her attention being divided between leading her clan and expecting a litter of kits. Her and Stormfur's kits were due several days ago, and with the heat she was beginning to grow more tired and more cranky with each passage of the sun.

She sat at the base of the Highbranch and watched her clan move around her. Snowwhisker was sharing tongues with her mate, Weedtail, her belly round with her first litter. Fallenstar watched as Spikepaw, Dovepaw, and Twigpaw sat outside the apprentice's den as they awaited their mentors arrival for the days duties. Needlefall, who was sitting guard just inside the camp barrier, nodded to Brackenfall as he padded through the fern tunnel. His kits, Beepaw and Honeypaw, followed quickly after him, their mouths full of prey.

 _It's time for those two young cats to become warriors_ , she thought to herself. The siblings had been training for nearly two seasons now, and they both showed they were ready to become warriors in their hunting and fighting abilities.

Hauling herself to her feet, she padded across the clearing to where Stonewind and Streamleaf were sharing a squirrel, discussing the day's training plan.

"Hello, Fallenstar." Streamleaf greeted her leader warmly, pausing from her meal to speak clearly. "How can we help you today?"

"I think it's time your apprentices were assessed," she said. The two warriors nodded in agreement. "They should be assessed this afternoon. Should they pass, I will hold the ceremony at sunset."

"Yes, Fallenstar," the two cats replied. The leader dipped her head and walked back toward the shade of her den, huffing as she sat down.

Her mate, Smokefur, padded over to greet her by pressing his muzzle to hers. "Hello, my love," he purred, sitting beside her. "How are you feeling today?"

"Enormous," she admitted. "I feel like I might burst." Smokefur purred in amusement, though his eyes betrayed worry.

"Any day now, right?" Her mate said, only to earn a growl in response.

 _Any day now, indeed!_ She thought bitterly. _These kits will stay in until leaf-bare to spite me._ As if in response, she felt the wriggling of her unborn kin inside of her, kicking and stretching as if they were already out in the world. She let out a soft hiss of pain as an intense pressure gripped her body down the entire length of her flank.

Pricklestream was by her side in an instant. "At last!" The medicine cat cried, every cat in camp looking on in curiosity. "The kits are making their way into the clan! Into the den, Fallenstar," she urged, pushing the dark gray cat to her feet.

The leader hissed as another spasm traveled down her body, stopping her in her tracks. _Great Starclan!_ she thought to herself. _Cats do this more than once in a lifetime?_ She lumbered into her den, her mate padding anxiously behind her, and sank into her nest.

What seemed like days later, her pelt clung to her frame with sweat as Pricklestream gently pressed a paw on her belly. "The first kit is arriving now," she promised. With a push mightier than Tigerclan, her first kit was born. Fallenstar let out a hiss of relief and glanced at Stormfur, who was admiring his firstborn with wide blue eyes. After two more heaves, the second and third kit were born and Fallenstar's ordeal was over at last.

"Three healthy kits," Pricklestream said, purring. "Two toms and one perfect she-kit."

The leader gazed at her newborns lovingly, watching as the medicine cat gently guided them to her still-swollen belly to suckle. "Can we wait to name them?" Fallenstar whispered to her mate, who still hadn't taken his eyes away from the kittens. "I want to see what they look like when they're a bit drier."

Her mate nodded in agreement. "I have some ideas, though," he murmured. He touched his muzzle to his mates head and laid beside her, cleaning her pelt gently. With her new kits mewling beside her, she dozed off into sleep.

"Fallenstar!" A gentle voice called her from her sleep. "Fallenstar, we need to speak to you!"

* * *

Lifting her head, the gray leader recognized the scents of Streamleaf and Stonewind outside her den. "Enter," she mewed, "but keep your voices low."

The two warriors entered her den and admired her newborns for a moment before sitting beside each other. "Honeypaw and Beepaw passed their warrior assessments," Stonewind informed her. "They're ready for their warrior ceremony. In fact, they were last sunset, but we all understood you were a little occupied." His eyes fell warmly on the kits once more.

Fallenstar nodded. "What time is it now? I'll do it after we have our sunset meal."

"It's a bit after sun high," Streamleaf said, glancing at the light beginning to shine through the entrance of her den. "You have time yet. Spend more time with the little ones," she added. "They'll only be this little for so long."

The two warriors stood up and exited the den together and Fallenstar's mate quickly replaced them. "Is it time?" He asked, his eyes shining with love. The gray she-cat nodded and motioned to her kits with her tail. "The first-born, the she-kit. Can we call her Cloudkit?" He was referring to her fluffy, dark-gray pelt like his own, as if she was a cloud waiting to unleash a storm.

Fallenstar nodded. "I'd like to call this one Milkkit," she purred, gesturing to the pale silver tom that slept on her. "He looks so similar to Milkstar, and I know he'd be honored to have his name." She looked at her youngest son, his fur dark gray as well but already sleek like her own. "Stormkit," she said at last. Her mate nodded.

"Cloudkit, Milkkit, and Stormkit," he repeated. His eyes met to his mate's just before he touched his muzzle to her head. "They're all perfect."

* * *

Fallenstar stretched before exiting her den, the orange glow of the sun painting the clearing around her. Her clan had already started to gather.

"May all cats old enough to hunt among the shadows gather below the Highbranch!" She called. The elders sat outside their den, watching their leader with eager eyes. Spikepaw, Dovepaw, and Twigpaw sat beside Needlefall, Smokefur, and Molefleck, their mentors, and their eyes clearly betrayed jealousy. Mintleap and Brackenfall sat pressed together next to Sweetclaw, their chests puffed with pride, and Honeypaw and Beepaw sat in the center of the clearing, their pelts shining.

"Today we are here to witness two apprentices becoming warriors. I, Fallenstar, leader of Mapleclan, call upon our warrior ancestors to look down on these two apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as a warrior in their turn. Beepaw," she called, and the ginger tom stepped confidently forward. "Do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do, Fallenstar," he said calmly. Fallenstar nodded approvingly.

"Then by the power of Starclan, I give you your warrior name. Beepaw, from this day forward you will be known as Beeclaw. Starclan honors your skill and your strength, and we welcome you as a full warrior of Mapleclan. Honeypaw!" She called after Beeclaw had given her shoulder a respectful lick. She saw the young cat tremble slightly as she took her step inward. "Do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," she whispered. She lifted her amber eyes to meet Fallenstar's, and there was nothing but determination there.

"Then by the power of Starclan, I give you your warrior name. Honeypaw, from this day forward you will be known as Honeyshine. Starclan honors your loyalty and your intelligence, and we welcome you as a full warrior of Mapleclan." The leader took a breath and then began chanting the new names.

"Beeclaw! Honeyshine! Beeclaw! Honeyshine!" The clan joined her as the two new warriors looked around proudly. Fallenstar raised her tail to signal quiet after a few moments.

"I have one more bit of news to announce!" She yowled. The clan looked up at her expectantly. "As I am sure you all have noticed, I have delivered my kits - Cloudkit, Milkkit, and Stormkit! I am sure you all are as pleased as Smokefur and I am, and we look forward to introducing you to them when the time comes. For now, let's feast to celebrate all the wonderful things in the clan today!"

The clan cheered and began sharing prey. Fallenstar looked around, catching Honeyshine's gaze. Throughout her entire apprenticeship, there had been no indication of what the prophecy was referring to. _Your time is coming,_ the leader thought. The young warrior nodded, as if she could hear her, before turning to her parents to continue celebrating becoming a warrior at last, while Fallenstar jumped down from her perch and ducked back to her waiting kits.


	7. Chapter 6

_A/N: thanks for those who have read and reviewed. to the reviewer who suggested a Flightkit POV, it's on the list! I'm currently working on a few things in relation to worldbuilding, so after that, it's gonna be the first up! enjoy this chapter! as always pls fave/review :)_

* * *

Honeyshine wriggled her body and glanced at her brother. The sky was beginning to turn pale at last, but the two new warriors would not be done with their vigil until the sun rose above the trees.

Cats around her were beginning to wake up. She angled her ears as Snowwhisker squeezed out of the nursery toward the fresh-kill pile, nodding her head at the two warriors sitting vigil. She heard Fallenstar and Smokefur gently shushing their mewling newborns behind her. Warriors had begun to stretch and yawn in their den. It had been like this all night - quiet and uneventful.

Honeyshine looked at her brother again and saw him stretch his mouth in a silent yawn. His eyes, however, shone with a light she had only seen a few times before, and she nuzzled his shoulder gently. She knew how much they both had overcome to become warriors. Honeyshine and her brother had both suffered from a bout of greencough in leaf-bare, and he had an unusually hard time recovering, while she had sprained her shoulder training and had been in the medicine den unable to walk for a half-moon. It had evened out their training, but both cats felt scared and upset for their sibling when the other was hurt or ill.

Beeclaw yawned again and motioned his ears to the sky as the rays of dawn began creeping at the top of the trees. Honeyshine noticed her former mentor, Streamleaf, padding toward them with her head high.

"You can speak now," she said, her eyes glowing with pride. Honeyshine dipped her head. "Your vigil is over. You are officially warriors."

"Thank you, Streamleaf," she mewed, giving the warrior's shoulder a friendly lick. "Beeclaw, do you want to rest?"

"I imagine you should," a deep voice said behind her. She turned to see Needlefall watching them as they stood up and stretched their legs. "I want you both on the sunhigh patrol - in fact, I want you to lead it."

Beeclaw's eyes shone as he nodded excitedly, glancing at his sister. "I don't think we'll have any issue with that! Thank you, Needlefall," he added before turning back toward the warrior's den.

She nodded in agreement and turned to follow him, mewing goodbye to the deputy before ducking into the tangle of fallen trees that was the warrior's den. The bare branches, protected by layers of bracken and fir boughs, arched a tail length over her head and let barely any light trickle in. Beeclaw moved toward the back of then den, where two nests rested, lined well with moss and bracken. Honeyshine breathed in the scent of her mother and father on the nests beside them and felt her heart glow as she realized she could sleep with her family every time the sun set.

Honeyshine curled up in one of the nests, her brother quickly doing the same, his pelt brushing gently against hers. She closed her eyes and slept for what only felt like a moment before something woke her.

She was no longer in the warrior's den. Instead, she was in a field with dull green grass and heavy fog around her, a strong wind buffeting her fur. She tried to breathe in the scents, but could only taste rain in the air and fear. _A twisting storm,_ she thought to herself, remembering the tales her grandmother had told her of storms that screwed in the sky like the shell of a snail with the clearest skies she'd ever seen in the center. Honeyshine dug her claws into the ground and pricked her ears, picking up the faint wailing in the distance. She caught the strong, familiar scent of her brother, and then suddenly she was awake in her den again.

"Wake up, Honeyshine," her brother hissed, prodding her with a forepaw. Light trickled nearly straight down through the empty patches of the roof. "We've got to go and pick our patrol members." He turned and shoved out of the warrior's den, mewing an indistinct greeting to some cat as he exited.

She nodded sleepily and shoved to her feet, feeling as if she had just walked for a moon. Her dream haunted her; was there a twisted storm coming, or could it have just been a nightmare from being up and excited all night? She shook her head and padded out of the den where Beeclaw was already sitting with Gingertail. Honeyshine looked around the clearing and caught sight of Firepelt.

"Hey, Firepelt!" She called, gesturing to the ginger she-cat with her tail. "Want to go on the sunhigh patrol to Mountainclan with us?"

The flame colored warrior nodded and padded over, dipping her head in a greeting to Gingertail and Beeclaw. "Are we ready, then?"

Beeclaw looked at his littermate and nodded before heading out through the lush fern tunnel that led out of camp. He headed toward the distant Mountainclan border, Honeyshine close beside him, as the patrol whisked quickly through the forest to the top of their territory.

Suddenly, a strange scent wafted over Honeyshine and she raised her tail in a warning. It was a cat, but it did not carry any clan-scent, and she had never smelled it before. "We must follow the scent!" She hissed quietly, and her brother narrowed his eyes in agreement. Almost silently the cats moved through the brush and across the forest floor, following the scent as it moved deeper into Mapleclan's territory. At last, the scent became fresh, and Honeyshine caught sight of a patched black and white pelt through the trees.

"Who goes there?" She called, challenging the cat to explain itself. The black and white cat turned, his eyes widening as he saw the warriors, their pelt's bristling and teeth bared.

"Sorry!" He cried frantically, crouching cautiously as the pale ginger warrior stalked toward him. His yellow eyes were wide. "I was just trying to pass through, but I can't find my way out. I don't suppose you could help me?"

Honeyshine stared at him a moment and then nodded, her fur flattening. "Alright," she said, flicking her tail as she turned back toward the top of the Mountainclan border. "Come with us. We'll bring you to the edge of clan territory."

The patched cat nodded gratefully and set out with the Mapleclan cats. Beeclaw took up the front while Honeyshine stayed beside the strange cat in the back, keeping an eye to make sure he didn't turn tail and run off.

"I'm Boots," he said, the nervousness from his mew slowly fading, even though he kept glancing cautiously around. "I've been running from my Upwalkers for a while now, I promise I didn't mean to stumble across your place."

Honeyshine blinked. "So you were a kittypet?"

Boots nodded. "But I ran away because my owners started behaving terrible toward me. They had a kit - a terrible thing, really, constantly screaming and smelling terrible - and they very clearly did not want me around after it was born. I used to be able to come indoors, but they locked me outside and didn't feed me. If I _tried_ to go inside, they'd throw things and yowl at me. So I ran. I don't want new owners after that, I just want to live on my own where nothing will try to hurt me like that again."

Honeyshine glanced over at the tom, noticing for the first time how his dull pelt clung to his frame as if he hadn't had a good meal in a moon. She felt a wave of sympathy for Boots and quickly moved her gaze back ahead of her, where a line of Upwalker-placed stones marked the border with Mountainclan and the upper corner of her territory.

"This is where we leave you," she said apologetically. Fear flashed through the black and white loner's eyes before he nodded vigorously. "You'll smell our scent markers. Just keep going. I hope you find a place to stay."

Boots dipped his head. "Thank you." He paused, then got a strange look on his face. "You never told me your name!"

Beeclaw let out a soft hiss and began answering the former kittypet before Honeyshine could. "I'm Beeclaw, that's Firepelt, she's Gingertail, and she," he flicked his tail at her last, "is Honeyshine."

Boots nodded. "Thank you again," he said, looking back at the warriors one more time. He met Honeyshine's eyes for a long moment before whisking across the border and into the forest.

Beeclaw shook his head. "Stupid kittypets," he grumbled, before turning toward the Mountainclan border and spraying a marker. Gingertail and Firepelt followed him, but for some reason, Honeyshine was stuck staring into the undergrowth where Boots's black tail had disappeared.


	8. Chapter 7

Fallenstar raced through the forest, the heat of greenleaf beating down on the forest. Her kits, safely back at camp, were at the back of her mind as she stretched her muscles for the first time in the half moon since their birth.

As much as she loved the little scraps of fur, she craved this feeling - pelting through the forest, the wind whisking past her fur, her claws digging into the earth. Prey-scent was all around her, but all she had wanted was to run for a while.

She paused, her chest heaving, as she stopped a few fox-lengths from the north border. Her eyes flicked around, enjoying the sunlight dappling the ground as it filtered through the dense maples, casting a glow upon her beloved home. She sat in a patch of sunlight and closed her eyes.

 _Six more moons,_ she thought wistfully. She opened her eyes, blinking against the brightness, and let the sounds of the forest sing around her. Birds above her chirped and she could hear and smell prey rustling among the leaves. It was when Fallenstar was taking all this in that she noticed a familiar scent being carried toward her on the breeze, followed by a flash of pale fur through the brush ahead of her. _Honeyshine._

Her curiosity getting the better of her, she stalked her clanmate, curious as to what she was doing so far from any patrols and so close to the border. Fallenstar felt a flash of alarm when she realized that her warrior had crossed the scent line calmly, heading into the territory they had used to hunt last leaf-bare.

 _What in Starclan is Honeyshine doing?_ She thought to herself, twitching her tail as she paused in the undergrowth. A small clearing opened up, surrounded by a rough circle of large oak trees. Honeyshine sat near the center, looking around but still not spotting her leader. Her eyes caught something to the side of Fallenstar and she let out a delighted mew, rising to her feet with her tail in the air.

A black and white tom padded calmly into the clearing, touching his nose to Honeyshine's with a surprising fondness. "Good day," he purred, licking her cheek. The golden warrior purred with him, licking his ears briskly.

"Are you ready to learn some more?" She asked. Fallenstar blinked. _What is she teaching him?_

He nodded eagerly and the gray leader watched in awe as Honeyshine dropped into the hunter's crouch, mewing something quietly to the tom. He quickly mimicked her and she stood up, assessing his position, and nodded approvingly. "You learn quickly," she mewed, brushing her tail against his black and white flank.

Fallenstar tipped her head curiously as she tasted the air. This was not a cat of another clan, but he did not share the same carrion scent as rogues or the soft, artificial scent kittypets. Clearly, he was a loner, but his scent seemed blurred with Honeyshine's, as if they had already spent a decent amount together.

They practiced hunting a bit more before switching into battle training. Honeyshine looked ferocious, even with her claws sheathed - not like the apprentice Fallenstar had once known. The tom looked similarly scary, but his eyes betrayed uncertainty and fear, even though he appeared to be quite close to the golden warrior.

In a flash, he whipped a sheathed paw at Honeyshine, managing to swipe across her face before she pounced on him. They rolled in a ball of hissing dust before springing apart, both panting, their ears flattened. Honeyshine was the first to relax.

"Good," she panted, sitting down. "Now I want you to pretend I'm a fox. If you're gonna live all alone out here, warriors are hardly going to be your worst issue. They won't kill you. Foxes and coyotes and even skunks will." The tom nodded, his yellow eyes wide. "Okay, Boots, show me what you've got."

 _Boots,_ Fallenstar thought to herself. That must be the cat's name, though it sounded foreign to her, like it had no meaning.

 _Boots_ lunged at Honeyshine, swiping at her face before nipping her legs. She fought back, swinging her head and snapping like a fox might, while worked at unbalancing her. When she finally lost her footing and toppled over, he pounced on her and dug his hind paws, thankfully still sheathed, into her soft belly. She jumped up and faked a limp as she ran away.

 _Huh,_ the leader thought. _He might make a fine warrior, with proper training…_

Boots stood up and let out a yowl of triumph as Honeyshine came dashing back into the clearing, licking his ears and mewing her praise.

"I didn't hurt you, did I?" The tom asked anxiously, and the golden warrior shook her head quickly.

"Not at all, you did really well. You'll be just fine out here," she purred, before she faltered. "You'll be fine out here without me."

Boots flattened his ears. "You can keep visiting, can't you?"

Fallenstar chose now to stand up and push into the clearing. "No, she can't," she said. Both cats snapped their heads to the gray she-cat. "It's against the warrior code."

Honeyshine's amber eyes were wide with fear. "Fallenstar! How did you find us?" she asked. "We're outside of the territory. I'm not hunting for him, and he's not doing any harm."

Fallenstar let out a hiss of annoyance, her tail twitching. "Your loyalty should still lie _only_ to your clan." She sat down, watching the two young cats with narrowed eyes.

Her warrior's eyes flashed with anger. "It does lie to my clan. But the warrior code tells us to be merciful, and honorable, and kind. I couldn't let a former kittypet die out on his own. He needed to be shown how to care for himself."

The leader's orange eyes remained narrowed, though she felt a flash of respect and understanding for the she-cat's naive actions. "I understand, Honeyshine, but it still wasn't right," she said at last. She turned to Boots. "I'll give you a choice, Boots. You have shown a willingness to learn and an unusual natural ability for hunting and fighting for a kittypet. If you like, you can attempt to join Mapleclan and train as an apprentice to be a warrior." She let out a sigh. "But clan life is hard, and it's not all play fights and easy hunting. Your other choice is to leave. Go so far away that you couldn't even find your way back here by accident, and then keep going. You already caused one of my warriors to stray, and I will not allow that to happen again."

Honeyshine ducked her head to whisper something into her friend's ear. He gazed at Fallenstar with steady yellow eyes and finally nodded.

"Okay, Fallenstar," he mewed, dipping his head. "I will accept your offer of training. I hope I don't let you down."

The gray leader nodded before standing. "Alright then, you two. Back to camp. Boots, tell nobody your name. It will no longer be yours by the end of the day."

"Wait, Fallenstar," she said, darting in front of her leader. "Beeclaw and a few others already know who Boots is."

Fallenstar paused, twitching her tail in annoyance. "And how's that, Honeyshine?"

"Well…" she looked at her paws. "We chased him off of our territory the day after my warrior ceremony. That's how I knew he needed help."

Fallenstar flicked her ear. "It's over now, Honeyshine. I will have a discussion with that patrol after Boots's apprentice ceremony."

The pale warrior nodded, her amber eyes wide and anxious, before allowing Fallenstar to lead the way back to camp once again.

* * *

When they entered the bracken tunnel, Stonewind, who was sitting guard, yowled an alarm to the camp of an intruder. Snowwhsiker peered out of the nursery, her yellow eyes narrowed with hostility, while Weedtail and Smokefur raced to guard her den.

"Calm down," Fallenstar growled. "Honeyshine, get on the other side of him. I don't want any of _my warriors_ ," she raised her voice on the last two words, "taking a swipe at our new friend." She turned to the cats in the clearing, their tails lashing and their fur raised. "Beeclaw, Gingertail, Firepelt, I want to speak to you after this."

She leaped up onto the Highbranch and called the familiar gathering cry, but every cat in the camp was already in the clearing, eyeing Boots with both hostility and curiosity. "Cats of Mapleclan," she began, taking a deep breath. "It has come to my attention that an outsider may be able to learn the ways of the warrior code and become one of us."

Yowls of dismay and anger rose from the crowd, causing Fallenstar to raise her tail to silence them. Anger rushed off of her in waves. "I have seen him hunt and fight, and while he is not yet great, he certainly has the potential to be. I have given him the choice to stay in our land, but train to be a warrior, or leave and never look back. As you can see, he has chosen to stay." Boots looked at her with expectant eyes. "I say these words before Starclan so they may hear and approve my decision and his choice. This cat has come into the clan and is already past six moons of age, and it is his time to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Sootpaw." She paused, looking at the familiar faces in the crowd. "Honeyshine will be your mentor. I hope she will pass on all she knows and has yet to learn to you."

Shocked gasps arose from the warriors. Beeclaw watched his sister's surprised face, his own twisted in jealousy. Flowershine and Lilyglimmer exchanged shocked looks, not understanding why they had yet to be given apprentices and a cat who had been a warrior for barely a half moon had. Even Brackenfall and Mintleap, Honeyshine's parents, looked mildly disapproving.

"Honeyshine, I believe you are ready to take on this apprentice. You received excellent training from Streamleaf, and you have shown yourself to have a passion for the most inherent parts of the warrior code. You will be the mentor to Sootpaw, and I expect you will pass on all you know to him."

Honeyshine seemed frozen for a moment before she touched noses with her new apprentice, the shock still written on her face. When Fallenstar started to lead the chanting that traditionally followed a naming ceremony, she realized with a chill of shock that none of her clanmates were joining in.


	9. Chapter 8

"Come on, Sootpaw," Honeyshine mewed, leading her friend back to camp from their hunting mission the night before. He had done very well for the past two moons, and was closer to being a warrior than an apprentice. He was just a few moons younger than Honeyshine, she had guessed, and had picked up hunting, fighting, and all aspects of the warrior code very well.

"I'm coming," he mumbled through a mouthful of prey. He carried a large squirrel and several mice, his head held high with pride.

Honeyshine pressed her pelt against his, enjoying his warmth in the cool dawn air. While she was his mentor and his first friend in Mapleclan, her heart tugged beyond that, and she could feel he felt the same way in the way that his eyes shined when she spoke to him and the way that he always seemed to become bashful at her praise.

"The clan will be pleased with your hunting today," she purred. "I bet even Sweetclaw won't have a bad word to say about you."

He nodded hopefully, not wanting to speak until he got back to camp. When they pushed through the bracken tunnel, eyes turned to stare at him as always. Some were still hostile, but for the most part, they were just annoyed at the outsider still being among them.

"Kittypet," Beeclaw hissed, shoving his sister aside before angrily stomping through the camp entrance. Honeyshine's littermate was still not over the jealousy from Honeyshine getting an apprentice and not him, and his sister missed the closeness they had once shared.

Fallenstar was in the clearing, watching Milkkit and CloudKit tumble about while Stormkit watched on from under his mother's belly. She caught Honeyshine's eye as they headed toward the clan's pile of prey. "Ah, Honeyshine, Sootpaw!" She called, beckoning them with her tail. The two cats padded over, dropping their hunt on the fresh-kill pile on the way.

"Yes, Fallenstar?" Honeyshine asked, glancing at her apprentice who was sat neatly beside her.

"I know it's only been two moons, but I was thinking of taking Sootpaw to the Moonfalls. I don't suppose you have any objections?" Sootpaw's mouth gaped as his mentor nodded excitedly.

"Thank you, Fallenstar! Is there a reason, or do you just want to get it out of the way, or?" Honeyshine's excited babbling earned her a surprising stern look from her leader, and she shut her mouth quickly. "Thank you," she said again. "When will we leave?"

"Now," the gray she-cat said. "I must share dreams with Starclan without delay, and we would have to leave now to be there by moonhigh, especially where we don't know if Owlclan will allow us to pass through their land."

The golden warrior nodded, though the exhaustion that tugged at her paws protested going on a long journey before sleeping. Sootpaw wriggled with excitement.

"You'll want to go get traveling herbs from Pricklestream, then," Fallenstar said, dismissing them. "I'll meet you back here as soon as you're done. Make sure to bring a bundle to me."

She led Sootpaw toward the medicine den, outside of which Pricklestream sat, clawing the ground anxiously. "Honeyshine! Sootpaw!" She said, her yellow eyes wide. "I suppose you've come for herbs. I knew you'd be traveling today. Sit, sit," she ordered, before dashing into her den. She emerged with three bundles of leaves, each smelling as bitter as Honeyshine remembered. Sootpaw eagerly ate his, retching as he chewed and realized how bitter the flavor was, while Honeyshine ate hers slowly. Pricklestream watched them eagerly.

"Be sure to bring this one to Fallenstar," she urged, nudging the third bundle to Honeyshine. The warrior picked it up and was turned to head away when the medicine cat pressed close to her, hissing in her ear.

"You and Sootpaw have destinies that walk along each other like two streams headed to the sea," she whispered. "But so do you and others. You must be careful! Remember where your loyalties lie!"

Honeyshine blinked, gazing at the silver tabby in shock. "My loyalties lie to my clan," she hissed, making sure Sootpaw was already near Fallenstar. "Sootpaw is a _part_ of my clan now. There is _nothing_ disloyal about the way I feel for him!"

She whipped around and stomped off, her pelt bristling and her chest feeling as bitter as the herbs she carried in her jaws. Fallenstar narrowed her eyes curiously as she caught sight of Honeyshine's cross expression, but the anger her amber eyes flashed must have warned her to not say anything. She lapped up her traveling bundle and looked up.

"Alright," she said. "Let's get moving."

* * *

"So, Sootpaw, tell me what you know about the Moonfalls." Fallenstar's voice carried through the forest as they padded along the familiar path near the end of their journey. Honeyshine guessed she was testing his knowledge. Clanborn kits knew of Starclan and the traditions surrounding it long before their apprenticeship, but Sootpaw had to learn all of this as well as the ways of the warrior code and the skills of a warrior.

"The Moonfalls is where we go to speak more closely to our warrior ancestors," he mewed confidently. "If they wish to speak to us when we're not there, they may, but we can hear them the best where the sound of the falls drowns out everything else."

Honeyshine felt her chest brim with pride when the gray leader nodded approvingly. "Starclan has destinies laid out for all of us," she began, glancing at Honeyshine as they walked together. "You have a path laid out for you, but each path has multiple ways of getting to the end. We look to our ancestors for guidance on which way to turn." She paused for a moment. "I believe that Starclan led you to us, to be a warrior of our clan. At first, I thought I was mistaken, but after watching you these past two moons, I feel certain in my decision. I hope they will show their approval tonight when I speak with them."

Sootpaw's yellow eyes were wide, paying attention to every word that passed his leader's mouth. "I'm so grateful," he meowed, dipping his head respectfully. He glanced at the sky, where the moon was beginning to climb. "We must be almost there?"

Honeyshine nodded. "Listen," she mewed gently. She gestured in the direction that the smell of salt was being carried from the ocean. They approached the river, and she heard Sootpaw gasp the same way she had when he saw it disappear into the ground.

They followed the climb down to the place where the sea met the land, and slipped silently into the rocks. Honeyshine could feel her apprentice's fur bristling, but whether it was from anticipation or fear she didn't know. Their pawsteps echoed around the cavern until at last, light shined again and they came to where the river poured into the earth.

"When the moonlight fills the cave, drink some of the water from the pool by the falls. Getting wet is unavoidable, but at least it is not leaf-bare yet, so we will warm up on the journey home." Honeyshine instructed Sootpaw the same way Fallenstar had just a few seasons ago. "When you wake up, I'll be here," she promised, licking his ear affectionately. He pressed his pelt against hers as they settled under a rocky overhang to shield them from the spray, waiting until the moonlight at last filled the cave.

"Now, Sootpaw," Fallenstar instructed gently. "You too, Honeyshine."

All three cats padded to the water's edge and drank. Honeyshine once again felt a chill sweep through her body before a glow of warmth and sleep took her.

"Honeyshine!" A shriek pierced through her sleep, and she jumped to her paws. She was not in the Moonfalls anymore, and Sootpaw and Fallenstar were nowhere to be found. Rain pelted her fur and the wind seemed to push her, no matter how hard she dug her claws into the ground. It was another twisting storm.

 _"The storm will come!"_ A thousand voices seemed to scream in Honeyshine's ear. _"The storm's path is chosen! Yours is not!"_

Honeyshine awoke with a jolt, looking around. Fallenstar was grooming her pelt while she watched Sootpaw slowly rise. His eyes were wide with excitement, and happiness rolled off of him in waves. _Was I the only one with a bad dream?_

Sootpaw turned to face his mentor. "Oh, Honeyshine," he breathed. Her discomfort from her dream faded as she felt her friend's affection for her once again. "I met Milkstar, and so many other cats… I wouldn't be here without you, Honeyshine."

Fallenstar was nodding, and Honeyshine felt her pelt grow hot. "Of course, Sootpaw," she stammered before beginning to lead the way out of the cave.

The leader followed close behind, relaxed as she padded along. "Starclan told me all I need to know and all I suspected," she purred. Honeyshine relaxed. Maybe the twisting storm dreams were just dreams, provoked by the prophecy that seemed to haunt her. Fallenstar looked at Honeyshine with a sparkle in her eye. "Your path is so great, Honeyshine," she whispered. "You are going to save us all."

Honeyshine blinked in confusion, her discomfort once again returning. _How can I save anyone if Starclan keeps insisting I'm choosing the wrong path?_


	10. Chapter 9

Fallenstar slipped into her den, the sun well on it's way to sun high as she returned from her journey. She was pleased with Starclan's approval of Sootpaw, and even more pleased that Starclan showed her that Honeyshine would guide her clan to safety. She did not yet know what the threat would be, but she had faith that it would all work out.

Stormkit, Cloudkit and Milkkit were just waking, and were quite excited to see their mother. They mewled loudly, leaving Smokefur's side. "Sorry," he said apologetically. "I told them they should be asleep when you got back, but do they ever listen?"

Stormkit watched his mother with excited blue eyes. "You missed so much! Cloudkit and Milkkit snuck into the elder's den and pounced on Whiteleap, and he didn't even smell them coming! Boy was he grumpy. I got to hang out with Pricklestream all day, and she showed me how poppy seeds work. She said that many seasons ago, one of the first medicine cats had to go all the way to the _Upwalker_ territory to uproot poppies from a garden and bring them back. Isn't that so _cool?_ "

Fallenstar let out a tired purr and ducked her head to lick her kit. "That is very cool, Stormkit. I hope you and your siblings treat your elders with respect, though. I'm sure Whiteleap would be more happy to play with you if he saw you coming first. Actually," she added with a yawn. "Why don't you go play with him now? I need to rest, and then I'll play with you when I wake up."

Cloudkit jumped out of her nest. "Yes! Let's go!" She charged out of the den, her brothers following her, leaving nothing but dust in their wake.

Smokefur chuckled. "She is quite a handful," he sighed as his mate lay down next to him, nodding in agreement. "Starclan knows what we'll do with her."

Fallenstar opened her mouth to reply, but all that came out was a yawn. She rested her head on her mate's flank and let sleep overcome her.

When Fallenstar woke, the pale orange of sunset filtered in through the branches and Smokefur was nowhere to be found. She padded calmly from her den to the clearing, where her clan was sharing tongues and eating. She saw Honeyshine and Sootpaw emerging from their dens as well, blinking sleep from their eyes before they saw each other. Beeclaw had his back turned to the leader, chatting with Needlefall and Pinewillow. Snowwhisker watched her kit, Oakkit, play with Fallenstar's three with Smokefur.

Her clan was thriving, even as leaf-fall was about to begin. She walked over to where her deputy was sitting and dipped her head.

"Good evening," she said, noticing how Beeclaw narrowed his eyes as she came near. _Is he still pressed about not having an apprentice?_

"Evening, Fallenstar!" Pinewillow chirped before ducking to groom her pelt. Needlefall dipped his head at his leader.

"How was your nap, Fallenstar?" He asked. "The patrols all went well. There was a little issue at the Owlclan border, but nothing we couldn't handle."

Fallenstar pricked her ears. "Do tell, Needlefall. And my nap was fine, well needed. It helps to know my clan is in good paws while I'm not looking."

The deputy twitched his ears at her praise. "Beeclaw stumbled into their territory by accident, chasing a squirrel. Luckily he smelled the scent markers before he caught it, and was only a fox-length in the border, but Falconwing always happens to be nearby at inconvenient times." He flicked his white-tipped tail. "No blood was shed, Beeclaw apologized, and everything is fine now."

The gray she-cat looked at the young ginger tabby in question. "Falconwing just has burrs under his fur," he muttered. "He saw me stop chasing as soon as I scented the markers."

"I trust you, Beeclaw," the leader reassured. "I know you wouldn't break the warrior code." The ginger warrior looked annoyed for some reason. She stood up to leave. "I'll see you all later. I'm going to work on getting those kits to sleep tonight."

Pinewillow twitched her whiskers, looking up from her grooming. "Good luck with that," she called, her voice amused, as the leader walked away.

" _I_ wouldn't break the warrior code," she overhead Beeclaw saying to Needlefall. "But we allow kittypets into our clan."

Fallenstar's heart grew heavy. She knew she wasn't supposed to hear that, and that Beeclaw was just very devoted to the code, but it didn't help to know that two of her warriors, who had once been as thick as thieves, were quarreling because of a choice she had made.

 _Thick as thieves,_ she thought to herself, pausing. _Is this the break that needs to be healed?_ She shook her head. Beeclaw was just jealous of his sister and blinded by the literal interpretation of the warrior code. Once she made Sootpaw a warrior in a few moons, all of the cats of her clan who had doubted him would begin to respect him and his place in the clan.

Starclan had showed her hints of Sootpaw's loyalty, especially to Honeyshine. Their paths walked together for as far as time could see, but even a newborn kit could see that without it's warrior ancestors telling them. That first day when she'd seen Sootpaw, Boots then, training with Honeyshine, she knew he was destined to be a warrior.

An idea sprung into Fallenstar's head. If the other cats could see Sootpaw training and being as devoted as he is, maybe then he could be accepted as a clan cat! It wouldn't hurt to get the apprentices excited about something, either. Without thinking, she ran and leapt onto the Highbranch.

"May all cats old enough to hunt among the shadows gather below the Highbranch!" She called. Her clan looked up, curious, and came closer to the Highbranch to hear their leader better. She looked down where Honeyshine sat with her mother. Sootpaw sat with Spikepaw, Twigpaw, and Dovepaw, the other apprentices, all watching her with interest.

"As we all know, leaf-fall is approaching, which will turn to leafbare before we know it. Our clan is strong. For now, we have plenty of prey, and few quarrels at our borders. However," she paused, taking a breath, "we must not become comfortable, or let our apprentices's training slip by because there is nothing for them to frequently sharpen their claws on."

The cats chattered agreeably below her, clearly understanding why she was saying these things. Even though Fallenstar hadn't planned her speech, it wasn't hard to miss her clan growing plump.

"Because of this," she continued, "I think it would be a good idea to have regular training exhibitions. Not like assessments, the exhibitions wouldn't affect how quickly our apprentices become warriors, but something to demonstrate how well their training is coming along to the clan. It will be good for the young cats to have something to get ready for, and exciting for us older cats to see how strong our clan is becoming."

The apprentices started murmuring excitedly amongst each other while a few warriors yowled their approval. "When will these start?" called Flowershine, looking eagerly up at her leader.

Fallenstar looked at the sky, which was beginning to darken, and noted how the moon was just past half full. "When the moon is in between half full and full we will have our first exhibition. That's about a quarter moon from now. If there are no other questions, you are dismissed." She leapt down from the high branch, padding toward the clan's mentors.

"This was a great idea, Fallenstar," Smokefur praised, watching his own apprentice, Dovepaw, chat with the others. "It gives them something to do, even if their warrior ceremony is only two moons away."

The gray cat nodded. "I agree, and they'll hopefully stay out of trouble. We're going to keep it to fighting exhibitions for now. No cat wants to watch any apprentice pounce on leaves for half a day." The mentors nodded in agreement. "I suggest you take them out training in the morning. I'll handle organizing patrols."

The cats nodded and turned to go toward their apprentices to inform them of the plan. Fallenstar watched, pleased that it seemed her plan would work out for the best. At last, she turned to her waiting kits and ducked into her den.


	11. Chapter 10

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! I know it's so few but every single one means so much to me. - Cam

* * *

"Alright!" Fallenstar's voice rang loud throughout the camp clearing from the Highbranch, reaching the cats sitting around. "It's time for our first exhibition."

Honeyshine watched as her apprentice, Sootpaw, lined up with the other apprentices. He'd been training hard, and he had nearly a season on Twigpaw, Dovepaw, and Spikepaw in age. She knew he would do phenomenally at this event.

"We will have each apprentice spar with each other. The first set will be Sootpaw and Dovepaw, then Spikepaw and Twigpaw. Then, Sootpaw and Twigpaw will spar while Dovepaw and Spikepaw spar. Lastly, it will be Twigpaw and Dovepaw and then Sootpaw and Spikepaw. Understood?" Fallenstar looked at the apprentices with encouraging orange eyes. They nodded back enthusiastically. "Alright. Sootpaw, Dovepaw, you're up."

The other apprentices joined their mentors at the side of the clearing, watching as Dovepaw and Sootpaw lined up across each other. With a flick of her tail, Fallenstar signaled for the spar to begin. In a flash of silver fur, Dovepaw streaked across the clearing and pounced on her opponent. Sootpaw allowed her to barrel into him, nearly knocking him over, when he darted a hind leg under her quick-moving paws. She stumbled and fell face-first into the grass, off guard, allowing Sootpaw to pounce on her and pin her to the ground.

Honeyshine watched in awe as the silver apprentice went limp under his paws. _Don't fall for it, Sootpaw!_ She begged silently, urging him to keep his grip, but he ignored her silent pleas and relaxed. Dovepaw exploded up underneath him, throwing him onto his side, and pounced on him, digging her hind paws into his soft white belly. He glared at her, and Honeyshine sighed. He lost this one. Dovepaw let him up, her blue eyes shining with victory.

The clan yowled in excitement. Even if Sootpaw had lost, it had been a great demonstration of how well both of their training was going. _Dovepaw has been training a few moons longer than him,_ Honeyshine thought with a flick of her tail. _Of course she beat him. This is just teaching me what I need to help him get better at._

"Well done, you two!" Fallenstar's voice broke Honeyshine free from her thoughts. "Dovepaw, that was quick thinking with going limp like that. Sootpaw, I'm impressed at how well you stayed balanced and reacted when Dovepaw slammed into you. You both did very well." She turned her gaze to the waiting apprentices on the side. "Spikepaw, Twigpaw! You're up."

Spikepaw padded into the clearing, her fluffy pale brown fur bristling with anticipation. Twigpaw followed, his green eyes watching his sister closely, as if expecting her to pounce before Fallenstar signaled.

"Begin," the leader mewed, settling in to watch the siblings fight. They were not as fast as Sootpaw and Dovepaw had been, padding more cautiously toward each other, teeth bared. Honeyshine watched as they became a mass of brown fur, shrieking and hissing as they rolled across the clearing. They were similar in size, so it was harder for one of them to get an advantage. When they broke apart, Twigpaw slipped his paw under Spikepaw's hind legs and knocked her off balance. She didn't fall, but it was enough for him to push her over and pin her down. He snarled in her face and she hissed in annoyance at her loss.

"Good job," Fallenstar purred. "Get off of her, Twigpaw, it's over. I was surprised to see you two took it slower, assessing each other's movements before you attacked. That's smart, and something that true warriors do in battle. Alright, Twigpaw, it's time for you to go against Sootpaw."

Sootpaw padded into the clearing, his confidence returned, and he faced Twigpaw calmly. To Honeyshine's surprise, when Fallenstar signaled, Twigpaw charged at Sootpaw, eyes blazing. Sootpaw stepped aside, allowing the younger apprentice to skid to a stop at the side of the clearing. Twigpaw charged at his opponent again, and this time, Sootpaw stuck out a hind leg to trip him, and he immediately pounced on the brown tabby. This time, he didn't loosen his grip on his opponent, but Twigpaw's desire to win must have made him stronger because he still found a way to kick Sootpaw's legs from under him, rolling so he could hold the larger apprentice to the ground.

"Kittypet," Honeyshine heard Twigpaw hiss, before digging his hind legs in Sootpaw's belly. Sootpaw let out a shriek of pain and to his mentor's horror, she realized that Twigpaw's claws were unsheathed as blood stained his soft white fur red.

"Stop!" Fallenstar's voice rang, furious, throughout the clearing. Twigpaw glared at her, head high. "What in Starclan were you thinking?"

The sound of her hiss snapped Twigpaw back to reality, fear clouding his gaze. He allowed Sootpaw to be free to limp away. Honeyshine darted to his side, leading him to Pricklestream's den, his blood dripping onto the grass below. She looked behind her to see what the reactions were.

"I forgot to keep my claws away," Twigpaw explained innocently. Fallenstar glared at him. Molefleck, Twigpaw's mentor, padded to his side.

"It's not that big of a deal, Fallenstar, it happens to the best of us. And hey, he won the spar, right?" Molefleck nudged his apprentice jokingly, but Fallenstar watched with a stare a cool as ice in leaf-bare.

"If it was an accident," she hissed, her voice so low that Honeyshine had to strain to hear it. "Then please, tell me, why did your foolish apprentice call him a _kittypet_ right before he tore into his stomach?"

Twigpaw flinched and Molefleck just looked at the ground. "Sorry, Fallenstar," Twigpaw mumbled, seemingly frozen in fear. All of the innocence he had carried in his tone before was gone.

"'Sorry' won't get you out of the camp for the next moon," she hissed angrily. Twigpaw's eyes widened into green pools of shock.

"You can't mean that!" He gasped. Honeyshine noticed that while the rest of the clan had gone into groups, they were all angling their ears toward the leader and the offending apprentice. "I'm only a moon and a half away from my warrior name! I need to train!"

The last word rose into a wail, like he was a helpless kit. Gingertail flinched at the sound of her son crying, but Honeyshine felt no sympathy.

"Well, maybe you should have thought of that before you attacked a clanmate!" Fallenstar's voice rose into a yowl. "Molefleck, your foolish apprentice is not to leave the camp until the next spar, which he will _not_ be taking part in. Twigpaw, since you will be stuck around the camp, I'm sure you'll see to it that the queens and elders are cared for. You won't even be leaving to gather moss."

Her gaze raked across the eavesdropping cats around the clearing. "And as for the rest of you," she said, her voice still heavy with anger, "let this be a lesson. Sootpaw is our clanmate. He is one of us. If any of you lay a claw on him, I will make sure that you are punished as severely, if not worse, as Twigpaw."

Honeyshine nodded, watching most of the clan mew their approval to each other. Twigpaw and Molefleck stalked away toward a few other cats who were watching Fallenstar through narrowed eyes. To her horror, one cat was staring at Sootpaw with nothing but rage in his green eyes - Beeclaw.


	12. Chapter 11

A/N: Hey everyone! Make sure you check out Flightkit's Guidance, about Honeyshine's dead littermate. Who does everyone think the "storm" is? Can anyone see where this is going? I'm curious! Leave a review to let me know, thanks for reading! :D - Cam

* * *

Fallenstar followed Honeyshine's gaze to the ginger tabby on the other side of the clearing. He kept his eyes on Sootpaw until he disappeared, ushered by his mentor, into the medicine den. He turned cooly to his friends before they all stalked off to a quiet corner of camp.

"Hey," she heard a voice murmur behind her. She turned to see Smokefur sitting with their kits close to them, their eyes all wide with shock and fear. "Why don't we get some prey and come inside?" He turned and ushered the young cats into her den, before turning back and lowering his voice. "They're frightened beyond belief. I don't know how we'll calm them."

The gray leader let out an exasperated sigh and went to grab a crow from the fresh-kill pile. As she dragged the black bird back, she noticed her deputy, Needlefall, padding toward her with a scowl on his face.

"Can it wait, Needlefall?" She only set her prey down for a moment before picking it back up and slipping quickly into her den, not noticing the anger flashing in the deputy's eyes.

"See?" She heard Smokefur purr gently, her eyes adjusting to the darkness. "I told you she'd be back."

"Mama! We were so worried that Twigpaw would hurt you, too!" Cloudkit let out a shrill wail, and Fallenstar bent to lick her head comfortingly.

" _I_ wasn't scared, Mother," Stormkit boasted, puffing his chest out proudly. "No cat would dare attack their clan leader! And even if he did," he added, with a quick glance to his siblings, who were still huddling at Smokefur's paws, "you could take an apprentice in a fight."

She licked his ears affectionately. "That's right, my little warrior. Nobody will hurt each other now, though."

"Especially since you threatened them all!" Milkkit's blue eyes gleamed. "Nobody will _ever_ disobey you after that. Will you even make Twigpaw a warrior?"

"Would you three hush?" Smokefur mewed, saving Fallenstar from having to explain the complexities of leadership to her three moon old kits. "Your mother brought you a lovely crow to share, so let's tuck in."

Fallenstar watched fondly as her kits dove into the crow, feathers beginning to fly. She gathered them in a pile, promising herself to bring them to Snowwhisker and Oakkit after they ate. She waited until her family had eaten before gulping down the remaining bit of prey, not letting a bit go to waste.

She stood up, gently nosing her full-bellied and now drowsy kits into their nest. "I'll be back in just a whisker to give you a washing before bedtime." She picked up a mouthful of crow down and padded across the clearing to the nursery.

Snowwhisker's pale fur glowed in the moonlight, her dark brown kit's pelt blending in with the dark mossy floor of the den. "I've brought you feathers," the leader murmured, dropping them by the queen's head. "Is he okay? Mine are quite shaken."

Snowwhisker nodded, careful not to wake her sleeping son. "He was shocked, but not frightened. More confused, really. I think we all are…"

Fallenstar sighed, then dipped her head before leaving the den. The bitter tang of blood still drifted fresh from the medicine den, and it seemed to pull her. _I can't go to sleep wondering if one of my apprentices won't be waking up._

She pushed in to the den, the scent of blood mixing with the tang of healing herbs. Honeyshine's fear scent also rolled out of the den like waves on the beach, rising with each breath her apprentice took.

"How is he?" Fallenstar seemed to surprise the warrior and the medicine cat. It was then she noticed Sootpaw's small form on the floor of the den. The white patches on his fur were stained with blood, and from the way Pricklestream's paws were pressed firmly to his belly, she realized he was still bleeding.

"Bad." The medicine cat's update came out as a frustrated hiss. "I can't get this bleeding to stop. I need more cobwebs, but I can't move my paws to go get them."

"I'll get them," the leader offered, worry pulsing through her like her own heartbeat. She ducked back into the cave where the tabby kept her supplies. A branch was coated with carefully laid out cobwebs. Fallenstar covered one of her dark paws in the gentle threads, hopping on three paws to bring them back to the medicine cat.

Pricklestream worked quickly, replacing the old webs with new ones before covering them with moss. "Maybe this will work," she muttered, though she didn't seem to be saying it to anyone in particular. "You hang in there, Sootpaw. Starclan is not coming for you yet."

Honeyshine's amber eyes were wide with horror. "I won't leave you," she whispered into her friend's ear. If Sootpaw heard, he gave no notice, unconscious from either exhaustion or blood loss.

"Fallenstar," Pricklestream murmured. "Can you take Honeyshine out? This isn't doing her any good, to see him like this." Honeyshine began to protest, but the silver tabby whipped her head up, fixing her yellow gaze on the young warrior. "No buts. He will pull through if I have to go to Starclan and get him back myself. You need to eat, and to rest, and to be with your friends."

"He is my friend," the golden warrior stammered, but she began to stagger numbly toward Fallenstar. The leader guided her gently out into the clearing, where the sun had fallen at last to give way to the moon and stars.

"I know it's hard," Fallenstar murmured, resting her tail on the young warrior's shoulder as they sat down under their ancestors. "Starclan is watching him. He's meant to be here. He has more to do, and Pricklestream will make sure he's here to do it."

Honeyshine gazed up at the stars. "They better. I know he hasn't been here long, but I can't imagine life without him." She glanced anxiously at her leader. "Why did Twigpaw attack him like that? I know some cats are strained with him being here, but to attack him…" Her voice trailed off and she sighed.

"Beeclaw isn't just unhappy about not having an apprentice, is he?" Fallenstar hadn't meant to say it out loud, but she felt her friend stiffen beside her.

"No," Honeyshine mewed quietly. "He's very upset that you let a kittypet into the clan, even if he hadn't been one for a while. He thinks, since the warrior code calls for us to reject the kittypet lifestyle, we should reject kittypets too."

The leader was quiet for a moment. "I understand that," she said at last. "But Sootpaw rejected it stronger than any of us have ever been asked to. He could have gone to new Upwalkers when he was mistreated. He could have learned to live there. But he didn't. He _chose_ the life of a warrior. Would we have done the same, had we not been born into this life?"

Honeyshine did not answer. She just sat and looked at the stars. Fallenstar pressed her muzzle into the warrior's golden fur and prayed. _Oh, Starclan,_ she begged. _Please don't let Sootpaw be taken from her._


	13. Chapter 12

A/N: Sorry about the wait! I was soooo blocked on this!

Honeyshine paced anxiously outside of the medicine den. She had fallen asleep after her conversation with Fallenstar and awoken to Beeclaw prodding her awake near dawn.

"Come on, furball," he had teased, as if they were apprentices again. "Isn't it cold out here?"

Now she was outside of Pricklestream's clearing, praying to Starclan that Sootpaw had not been taken from her in the night. The smell of blood was stale now, but the sharp tang of horsetail and marigold hung in the air. At last, tired of waiting for the medicine cat to notice her, she nosed her way through the fir branches into the den.

"Honeyshine!" Pricklestream's startled mew greeted the pale warrior, who dipped her head in greeting. The silver tabby was laying in the nest with Sootpaw, pressed close to him. Though he was still sleeping, his breaths were stronger, and his fur was no longer matted with dried blood. "He was in shock. I didn't want him to get cold. Come, why don't you take my place? I'm sure he would much rather have his ma- mentor sleeping next to him than his medicine cat."

The warrior's whiskers twitched at Pricklestream's slip of tongue, but she did as asked and pressed close to Sootpaw's soft black and white fur. She began to lap affectionately at his head, relishing the warmth of his fur, and she felt him stir beside her.

"H-honeyshine?" He croaked, his voice barely a whisper. She pressed her muzzle into his fur.

"I'm here," she murmured. "Don't move, you need to rest."

"She's right," Pricklestream said, her mew muffled by clean moss. "Plus, I need to change your dressing, and it's going to sting quite a bit. She'll be here to comfort you and keep you warm." She sat the bundle by his belly and began to pull away the blood-soaked moss and leaves that were caked to his fur. The medicine cat worked silently, chewing up sharp-smelling leaves into a paste and lapping them gently onto his wounds. She watched for a moment before placing a thin layer of moss onto the herbs.

"There," she said at last, pushing the old dressings under the fir branches with a forepaw. "The bleeding has stopped, but I put some moss on just to be certain. I don't want you to move for a few more days. Once you do start moving, it'll just be short walks." She sat back on her haunches and sighed, looking at Honeyshine and Sootpaw pressed together in the moss. "The worst is over, but it's going to be a while before you go back to training."

Honeyshine trembled slightly, worried that her clanmates would think of him as even less than a warrior, but Sootpaw just yawned. "I'm not even hungry right now. I can't imagine eating." He rested his head on the moss and drifted back off to sleep.

Honeyshine stood, careful not to rewake him. "I'll go get you a piece of fresh-kill," she murmured to Pricklestream, who just nodded.

When she walked into the clearing, she noticed Beeclaw watching her. "How is he?" He asked, pressing close to his littermate. "Listen, I know I've been a sap-for-brain recently, but even the blindest mole could see how much Sootpaw means to you. I'm sorry."

Honeyshine was taken aback at her littermate's apology. Just last night, she had been talking about how unhappy he was that Sootpaw had been welcomed into the clan by Fallenstar. "I appreciate it," she said after a few moments. "He's okay. As long as there is no infection, the worst is over, and he'll recover. After a while."

Her brother sighed. "I'm sorry this happened. I feel like it's my fault. Twigpaw had been listening to us talk about how unhappy we were he was here, how we felt it was against the code…" He trailed off and shook his head. "But he forgot the most important part of the code, which is protecting and defending your own clan. That should mean not harming one another."

Honeyshine felt relieved, though suspicion still pulled at her pelt. She shook her head. "It's okay," she murmured, pressing her nose against his muzzle. "You're a stupid furball, but you're my brother, which means you're _my_ stupid furball."

Beeclaw purred in amusement before nodding toward the fresh-kill pile. "Why don't we share prey? It's been so long. We can go share with mother, too, if you like."

Mintleap was sitting in a pool of sun near the edge of camp washing her face. "Okay," Honeyshine agreed, padding to grab a plump gray squirrel from the pile. She carried it over to her mother, whose eyes lit up to see her kits heading toward her.

"Hello my dears," she purred, giving them each a quick lick on their ears. "What's going on? Honeyshine, how's Sootpaw?"

"He's okay, he's gonna be out of training for a while but otherwise he's okay. We wanted to share prey!" She nudged the squirrel toward her mother. "Like we used to. Where's father?"

Mintleap flicked one of her gray tufted ears. "He's out on a hunting patrol. He'll be back…" she glanced up at the sky. "Just before sunhigh, I imagine. He's trying to keep us all well fed until leaf-bare."

Beeclaw settled next to his mother, their pelts brushing together. "Come on, then," he said, taking a paw and dragging the squirrel closer to him. "Let's eat."

Honeyshine bent her head to take a bite, enjoying the tastes of the forest in the squirrel. "I don't know what I'm going to do about Sootpaw's training," she sighed, after a few moments of silence. "He's really badly hurt. He'll be okay so long as he doesn't get an infection, but the recovery will be so long." She tried to picture him as he was the last few moons, leaping into the air with his strong back legs and stretching as far as his body would take him to catch birds. Now, all she could see was his soft white belly stained russet with blood.

Her mother pressed close to her, licking her fur like she did when Honeyshine and Beeclaw were still kits. "You'll know what to do. All you have to do is imagine it's you, laying there, what you would do." Mintleap's yellow eyes were filled with warmth as she looked past her daughter to the medicine cat's den. "Go, bring him something to eat. We will be here waiting for you when you need us."

Honeyshine dipped her head gratefully to her mother and brother before turning back toward Pricklestream's den, picking up a couple still-warm mice that one of the apprentices had brought in. She pushed gently into the fir den and dropped one of the mice at Pricklestream's feet.

"Thank you," the medicine cat murmured. Honeyshine noticed how exhausted she looked, as if she were feeling the pain of the injured apprentice in front of her.

Sootpaw stirred at the scent of mouse, his yellow eyes cloudy with sleep and pain. Honeyshine dropped the mouse in front of his muzzle.

"Rise and shine, Snailpaw," she teased, bending to lick his ears lovingly. He managed to stretch and eat a few bites of mouse before falling back into his nest, strained from the effort of sitting up. "It's okay," she said reassuringly, noticing how his tail lashed in frustration.

"It's not," he said hoarsely. "I can't even eat prey! How will I ever become a warrior now?" His voice fell into a low wail as he closed his eyes in misery.

"Nonsense!" Honeyshine hissed, shocking herself with the force of determination running through her body. "You ate. You weren't even awake earlier, and now you're up, talking, and eating. So it might be a while before you're as healthy as you were before, but we're gonna take every step we can to keep you in shape until then." She looked down at him, urging him to feel the strength of her feelings. "You will be the best warrior that has ever graced the forest, Sootpaw. I promise I will get you there - even with this."

She settled in beside him, murmuring comforting words each time he mewed in pain or frustration, and didn't move until night had already fallen.


	14. Chapter 13

Fallenstar slipped into the medicine cat's den where Sootpaw lay, being examined by Pricklestream.

"How is he?" The leader asked nervously, anxious about how focused the medicine cat seemed to be on the black and white tom.

"Why don't you ask me yourself?" Sootpaw snapped. Honeyshine, who was sitting faithfully by her apprentice's side, twitched her whiskers with amusement but said nothing. "I can talk just as well as any other cat."

"He's just fine," Pricklestream reported, ignoring the apprentice's impatient tone. "All of his wounds are healed. He's cleared to go back to training. But be careful," she added. "They could be opened if you're rough enough, and I'm sure some of us wouldn't be too happy with that."

The medicine cat's yellow eyes gleamed with amusement as she watched Honeyshine duck her head to lick Sootpaw's ears. "I told you I'd be okay," he purred, his impatience gone as he stood and pressed his muzzle to his mentor's flank. The two cats padded into the clearing, chatting indistinctly about how to continue with battle training.

"He's a strong young cat," Fallenstar mewed to the medicine cat. "It's been less than a moon since he was injured, and I was worried that Twigpaw would have killed him." Pricklestream nodded, watching the pair until they disappeared out of sight.

"You're right," she murmured. "Honeyshine is strong as well. They'll have to be strong for what's coming."

Fallenstar's pelt bristled as she looked into her friend's eyes. "Do you know what's coming? How do we prepare?"

The silver tabby shook her head, closing her eyes. "Starclan has only shown me that those two will help clear our skies, and that a great storm is coming. We can do nothing except dig our claws into the ground and let the storm pass." She blinked apologetically at her friend before turning back to the hollow stump where her herbs were stored. "Fallenstar," she said, without looking back, "the trouble is already brewing. I know that path is set. It's up to us to guide the paws on the right paths not yet chosen."

The gray leader watched her friend go back to work, clearly signaling the conversation was over, and turned to leave. Needlefall was at the corner of the camp, back to her, saying something quietly to Beeclaw, Molefleck, and Barkpelt. They were all nodding, as if he was saying something they agreed with. Fallenstar could see Beeclaw, who was sitting facing her, saying something quietly, his green eyes shining.

 _At least he's finally over not having an apprentice,_ she thought, silently vowing to make sure one of her kits became his first.

"Fallenstar!" The sound of her mate snapped her out of her thoughts, and she looked over to her den where Smokefur was emerging with her kits. They were just over four moons old now, completely weaned from her milk, their fur losing it's softness and becoming sleek like an apprentice's. She met her family by the roots of the maple that her den was tucked below. "Fallenstar, Stormkit has something he wants to tell you."

Her son's blue eyes shined with excitement. "I think I want to be a medicine cat!" He blurted out excitedly, his tail sticking straight up. Her other son and daughter looked at their brother with admiration. "I've been following Pricklestream for a while now, and I already know a bunch of stuff, and I don't know…" he trailed off, looking anxiously at his mother. "It just feels right, mother."

Fallenstar purred with pride, astonished that her son already felt he knew where he belonged. "If it feels right, it must be so," she said before licking his head affectionately. "Does Pricklestream know?"

Stormkit nodded eagerly. "I think she likes having me around! Mama, there's less than two moons left, but I want to go now."

Smokefur twitched his whiskers in amusement. "I don't think your mother is going to let you out of the nest any sooner than any other kit," he told his son.

"That's true," Fallenstar said, "but you can see what you can do to help Pricklestream in the meantime. I'm sure she could use the help! It's a lot of work being a medicine cat."

Stormkit nodded seriously. "Okay. 'Bye guys!" He said goodbye to his siblings and charged toward the medicine cat's den.

"Anyone else know what they want to do?" Fallenstar looked down at Cloudkit and Milkkit.

"I want to be leader," Cloudkit said proudly. "And when I'm leader, Milkkit can be my deputy. That way all three of us will be able to lead the clan together!"

Milkkit looked at his sister in horror. "If you become leader, that means that Fallenstar has to _die_ first!" He glanced up at his mother. "I don't want to be a leader. I just want to be a good warrior who always finds food for the clan, even when there isn't a whisker of prey to be found."

His mother dipped her head and licked his ears fondly. "That's great, both of you. As long as you're loyal to your clan, you can do anything you want. Even be leader, Cloudkit." Her daughter's orange eyes shined with pride.

"Hey, can you tell us the story about how the clans were made again?" Cloudkit begged. "When I'm leader, I want to know it by heart so every kit in the forest can hear it from me."

Fallenstar twitched her whiskers and sat down. "Of course, little one. Why don't you go fetch Oakkit? I'm sure he would love to hear stories too."

The fluffy gray she-kit nodded excitedly and took off toward the nursery, quickly emerging with Oakkit. The two kits sat down together with Milkkit and looked up at their leader with wide, earnest eyes.

"Many, many seasons ago," Fallenstar began, amused at how the kits seemed to lean in for her words, "a group of warriors were stolen by the Upwalkers from their homes far away. They were brought a longer distance than you could ever imagine in the world to get here. When the Upwalkers settled into the Upwalker territories, the cats managed to escape. There was a lot of them - all brought to different dens, of course - but Starclan guided their paws free. Together, they journeyed to the ocean's edge, and decided to stay here. Among those cats was Mapleflight, Owlface, Mountainclaw, and Beachpelt."

"Shouldn't they be -stars?" Cloudkit interrupted, earning a flick of her mother's tail in response.

"If you listen, we'll get there," her mother promised. "Alright, so when they reached the ocean's edge, it became clear that while they were all friends, they had different abilities for hunting and living. Some of the cats were strong swimmers, able to survive the ocean waves to get their food. They became Beachclan, when Beachpelt showed herself to be a natural leader. Others were more adept at leaping from rock to rock, not afraid of the terrible drops below them because they knew their powerful jumps could get them to the next ledge with no issue. Mountainclaw led these cats in what is now Mountainclan, teaching them to hunt the skies as well as the ground and the water. Owlface, who earned his name as a kit - when an owl nearly carried him off and left great scars across his face - led the clan of cats who seemed to fly like birds into the trees - Owlclan. And last, there was Mapleflight. She noticed that our ancestors preferred quiet, gentle pawsteps below us as we hunted for prey and the trees above our heads. They all found the territory that fit their needs best - Owlclan in the firs that have many branches to leap into, Mountainclan in the mountains where they can blend in and hunt large prey, Beachclan by the sea and with the grassy dunes to find plovers and their nests, and Mapleclan among the maples, oaks, and birches to help us find the prey that relies on their nuts and seeds. Each clan has it's place. This is how it always has been and always shall be."

The kits nodded in awe. "Always," Cloudkit echoed, her orange eyes wide. Fallenstar blinked affectionately at her daughter, and then realized that for a few peaceful moments, she had forgotten all about the prophecy.


	15. Chapter 14

A/N: Sorry for the wait! You'll get two chapters today!

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The moon shined full above Honeyshine's head, the sky clear of any clouds. Starclan had blessed them a beautiful night for a gathering.

She padded alongside Sootpaw to his first gathering since becoming an apprentice of Mapleclan. His patched pelt was well groomed and flat, but his yellow eyes betrayed the excitement that was ready to burst.

"You seem a little excited," Honeyshine teased, flicking her tail against his flank. He glanced over, his eyes glowing, as they padded along the familiar path to the Willow Grove. He didn't reply, but she could feel in the way he pressed his fur against hers that he was pleased to be there with her. _As a clan cat._

Fallenstar had made it clear that Sootpaw was not clan-born when she had announced a new apprentice several moons ago, but she had also made it clear that any cat who challenged whether he deserved to be a warrior would regret it. Honeyshine knew that tonight, though some cats would whisper and gossip, Sootpaw would be welcomed.

They crested the rise that gave way to the hollow below. Honeyshine felt the wave of peace that always came when she looked down into it - the circle of massive, drooping willows, turned silver by the light of the full moon; the faint sound of many cats chattering below; the scent of all clans mingling together as one; and the unmistakable presence of Starclan. She looked at her apprentice, his eyes wide with wonder, and knew he felt it too.

Fallenstar twitched her ears and plunged into the Willow Grove, her clan following hard on her heels. From the smells around her, Honeyshine could tell that Mountainclan and Owlclan were here, but the lack of salt-tinged cat scent meant that Beachclan had yet to arrive.

Fallenstar joined Applestar and Talonstar at the base of the Ancient Willow, greeting them with a polite dip of her head. Talonstar gave a flick of her fluffy, black-tipped tail, and Applestar dipped his mighty ginger head in response to the Mapleclan leader. Honeyshine watched in awe as the clan leaders seemed to say hello without uttering a single meow, keeping polite but guarded all the same.

"Why don't you go meet some other apprentices?" She mewed, gesturing with a twitch of her ears to where a group of young cats sat, play fighting. "Just remember there is a truce, and if anyone taunts you, walk away and come find me." She gave a gentle lick to his ear before he padded away, tail high.

"Hello, Honeyshine," a voice behind her mewed. She turned to see Echomist, a heavily pregnant Owlclan queen, padding toward her.

"Echomist!" The pale warrior exclaimed, pressing her muzzle to the silver she-cat's. "Another litter? Congratulations! Falconwing must be thrilled."

The she-cat nodded, her green eyes glowing. "He is. Since Jayflight and Oliveheart became warriors a half-moon ago, he's been getting restless. It's like he needs to constantly have his kits running under his paws, trying to impress him."

Honeyshine nodded, pleased to hear her friend was happy. "And how about your apprentice?"

Echomist flicked her tail. "Lilypaw was given to Cherryleap to train until she's a warrior. I won't be back in the warrior's den before then." She blinked at the Mapleclan warrior. "And yours? Settling in, I suppose."

The pale golden warrior nodded, hesitating only a heartbeat. "He knows the warrior code inside and out, and he's always catching prey for the clan. Starclan help any cat who may meet him in battle." She sighed. "There was-"

The story of Twigpaw's hostility was cut off as Wavestar, the Beachclan leader, leaped onto one of the branches of the Ancient Willow and called the familiar greeting. "By the will of Starclan and the truce of the full moon, may the Gathering begin!"

Honeyshine settled in next to Echomist, keeping an eye on Sootpaw as he joked around with Sunpaw and Clampaw, a pair of Beachclan apprentices.

"The prey is running well in Beachclan, though the change in temperature promises to make diving a bitter task," Wavestar announced, echoed by a chorus of agreeing mews from her clan. "We are happy to bring with us two new warriors tonight - Leopardpelt and Treefur!"

Honeyshine joined the other clans in calling the new warrior's names, feeling the tradition bringing them together. Wavestar flicked her tail for silence before continuing. "The Upwalkers that sometimes come in greenleaf have thankfully stopped coming, and we rest well knowing it will be several seasons before we see them again."

Applestar nodded at the blue-gray leader, taking his turn to stand and speak. "Mountainclan thrives," he announced, looking down on his warriors with pride. "We have a new litter of kits, born to Flickerpelt and Eagletalon - two strong toms named Hawkkit and Owlkit." Mews of congratulations rippled through the clans. "That is all there is to report."

Fallenstar took his place. "Tonight, we bring two new warriors as well," she mewed proudly, looking down at the two in question. "Doveflight and Spikepelt." The clans cheered until the dark-gray leader opened her mouth to continue. Honeyshine felt a prickle of delight that Twigpaw was still Twig _paw_. "We chased a fox out of our territory into the unclaimed lands, and we continue to be well fed despite the changing temperature."

She stepped back, allowing Talonstar to at last take her place. "We have no new kits or warriors," she began, "but we do bring with us three new apprentices - Snowpaw has been apprenticed to Icefall, Rainpaw to Falconwing, and Hailpaw to Pointednose as a medicine cat apprentice." The mass of cats in the clearing below all cheered as if it were for their own clanmates. "While there continues to be minor trouble at our borders -" she shot a glance to Fallenstar "-we remain strong, well fed, and at peace."

Honeyshine heard a cat somewhere let out a hiss of annoyance at Talonstar's accusations, and she thought herself that it seemed harsh to make an announcement when Mapleclan hasn't pressed Owlclan's borders in moons.

"Must be all the kittypets in the clan," some cat muttered behind Honeyshine. She whipped her head around, shooting daggers at a young Owlclan warrior. She noticed her brother nodding at the comment, his eyes narrowed in thought.

Honeyshine huffed, turning back around to watch Fallenstar close the meeting. "Then by the power of Starclan, the Gathering has ended. May we return to our clans and be blessed with peace and full bellies until the next full moon."

Sootpaw padded back up to his mentor, his eyes shining with delight. _He didn't hear the comment,_ his mentor thought with a sigh of relief. "I met a couple other apprentices!" He mewed excitedly. "They didn't make fun of me, and they thought it was really cool that I had a life before the clans. They wanted to know all about it!"

Honeyshine looked at him, her heart warming at the light in his eyes and the happiness in his voice. She pressed close to him. "That's great," she purred. "I'm sure they'll think it's even more cool when you're a _warrior_ soon."

He stopped in his tracks and looked at her, his mouth hanging open. "How soon?" He gasped excitedly. Honeyshine twitched her whiskers with amusement.

"Well, I haven't talked with Fallenstar yet, but I'm sure she'll agree you're ready for your assessment in two sunrises." She flicked her tail. "Of course, that's assuming you _pass_ the assessment," she teased, her amber gaze warm.

"Of course I'll pass," he purred, dashing alongside her to catch up with the rest of her clan. "You really think I can be a warrior? Do you think they'll accept me?"

She nodded. "I think they will. Even Twigpaw."

Sootpaw twitched his whiskers. "I'm gonna be a warrior before Twigpaw," he gloated quietly. Twining his tail with Honeyshine's, they padded toward camp together, pelts brushing and eyes glowing.


	16. Chapter 15

Fallenstar lifted her head as pawsteps sounded outside of her den.

"Fallenstar?" The leader recognized Honeyshine's quiet mew, careful not to wake her sleeping kits. "Can I speak with you?"

"I'll be right there," she responded quietly. She gently dislodged herself from her kits and padded into the clearing. The sun was well on it's way to sunhigh - she must have slept longer than intended after the Gathering the previous night.

Honeyshine sat with her paws tucked neatly under her tail, her amber eyes shining. "I think Sootpaw is ready for his warrior assessment. He's been training for almost four moons and really, I think it's plenty. He knows the warrior code inside and out and he has put more effort into training than any other apprentice in the clan."

Fallenstar hesitated, feeling the golden warrior's excitement falter as she did. "I don't know," she said at last. "Four moons is hardly long enough to be training to be a warrior. Your training took you two seasons."

Honeyshine narrowed her eyes. "I understand," she said softly, her voice like ice. "However, Sootpaw is older than Twigpaw. If he were clanborn, he would have been made a warrior with me and Beeclaw."

"I know," the leader said, dipping her head in acknowledgement. "But he was not clanborn. How about this? When my kits are apprenticed, he can become a warrior, so long as he passes his assessment. He and Twigpaw can be made warriors together, and that gives them both another moon to train."

Fallenstar noticed Honeyshine's pelt bristle at the mention of Twigpaw. "If you think that's best, Fallenstar," she mewed briskly. "I'll go tell Sootpaw."

Fallenstar watched the pale warrior turn and leave, her eyes glinting with frustration. She stood up, stretching her legs, and nosed her children awake. "Come on, my loves," she purred gently, watching as they stretched open their eyes and let out sleepy yawns.

Cloudkit tucked her nose under her paw and growled. "I don't want to be up! All you're going to do is make us go entertain the stupid elders again, and they're boring! Sweetclaw smells, Duckflight is _mean,_ and Whiteleap literally can't see us or hear a word we're saying. I would rather stay here and sleep."

Fallenstar felt anger course through her before she choked it back, remembering this was her daughter and not a disrespectful apprentice. "Even so," she said briskly, prodding the kit a bit sharper this time, "you're going to get up. It's nearly sunhigh, and I'm sure Oakkit is waiting for you. You shouldn't have stayed up until the moon was almost to dawn before sleeping if you didn't want to be woken by your mother!" When Cloudkit didn't respond, she bent over and lifted the heavy kit by her scruff. "And I won't hear _anymore_ disrespect to your Clan's elders. They fought, hunted, and suffered for you to be able to continue living here. Whiteleap was a fantastic tracker before he went blind. They have earned their peace, and it's your job to learn from them and tend to them like the respectful kit I know you are."

Cloudkit finally blinked open her eyes, defiance flashing through them like lightning. "Fine," she growled, pausing to groom her sleep-ruffled pelt. "But I'm only staying for one story. If I have to hear about Brackenfall's clumsiness as a kit one more time, _I'm_ going to retire to the elder's den."

She led her brothers out into the clearing, and though Fallenstar was shocked at her sass, her whiskers quivered at the way she took command of those around her. _She will need a strong mentor, one who's more stubborn than her._ She thought of her clanmates in her head. She had promised to give Beeclaw one of her kits, but she didn't think Cloudkit would do well with a young mentor like him. _He can take Milkkit,_ she decided, certain that her calm son would learn well from him. Stormkit was going to Pricklestream, so that wouldn't be a problem. She narrowed her eyes in thought. _Perhaps Brackenfall is ready for another apprentice. It's been several seasons since Flowerleap was made a warrior, and he did well to shape her into a confident cat from the shy kit that hid behind her mother's legs._ She nodded to herself. Cloudkit would benefit from him. He was level-headed enough to deal with her sass, but stern enough to discipline her.

Even though their ceremony was about a moon away, she decided she would tell the two toms so that they could prepare and celebrate something. She pushed out of her den and saw the two ginger toms sharing a piece of prey, but before she could call out to them, her deputy dashed over to her.

"Fallenstar!" Needlefall's greeting sounded tense, as if he was upset about something. She turned to face him, dipping her head in greeting to the younger tom. "Can we speak?"

Fallenstar glanced to Beeclaw and Brackenfall and sighed, deciding to tell them later in the day. "Sure. Why don't we find some sun? I miss the warmth on my fur."

They padded to a patch of sunlight near her den and settled down, tucking their paws neatly under their chests. She flicked her tail to let her deputy know that he could begin speaking.

"So… It's about Twigpaw," he began. "I heard that you told Honeyshine he'd be made a warrior with Sootpaw… in a moon."

She met his yellow gaze and nodded. "That's true. They could both do with more training, and quite frankly, Twigpaw is lucky to even be becoming a warrior for what he did. In some of the other clans, they may have cast him out." Her tail twitched irritably. "Do you have a problem with my decision?"

Needlefall's eyes flashed. "I do, actually," he retorted, his voice harsh. "Twigpaw is clanborn, and he's been training far longer than that… _kittypet_." He spat the word out like it was bitter on his tongue. "Sootpaw should have to train for seasons longer. How can you be sure he understands the warrior code the way that Twigpaw does? He's been taught since the nursery about the code, about Starclan, about our clan's history. Sootpaw can count the moons he's been learning that on one paw." The black warrior's voice was approaching a snarl. "Twigpaw should have been a warrior when his sisters were."

Fallenstar had to stop herself from lashing out and raking her claws across the deputy's face. "His sisters didn't brutally attack a clanmate," she hissed, her voice low to avoid the other cats in the clan hearing. "I have tested Sootpaw myself. He knows the code inside and out, as well as any clanborn warrior." She barely paused to consider her next sentence before spitting it out. "Better than _you_ do, apparently."

The look on Needlefall's face changed from shock to pure rage in an instant. "You _mouse-brain,"_ he hissed. "Look around you for once in your stupid life - beyond your kits, beyond your precious Sootpaw. Half of the clan disagrees with Sootpaw being here, they just don't dare say it. Are you going to cast us all away? For not treating your word as law?" He seemed to dare her, and she lashed her tail angrily.

"Not all of you," she hissed. "No, Needlefall. I won't even cast you, the cat who is supposed to be my deputy and my biggest supporter, away from the clan you call home. But, as of this moment, you will no longer act as my deputy." His face twisted in anger as she continued, "I will organize patrols. I will take on sole leadership of my clan until you can prove yourself worthy again - until you can show me that you're still the cat and _friend_ you were all those moons ago when I appointed you deputy in the first place."

She stood, her tail lashing and her fur fluffed up in rage, looming over him. For a brief moment, a flicker of fear flashed in his eyes. Fallenstar felt a trickle of doubt. She didn't think one of her warriors would dare attack her, but what if he did? She looked around, worry seeping into her pelt. Would anyone come to back her up?

Needlefall held her gaze for a moment before standing and pelting out of camp, his paws pounding the dust. The clan all looked at her in confusion, and she let out a sigh, suddenly feeling exhausted. She climbed onto the Highbranch, but there was no need to call the gathering words - everyone was there already.

"Needlefall will no longer act as deputy," she announced, ignoring the shocked gasps that traveled through the clan. "At Gatherings, he will hold the place, but until he can show himself to be a loyal warrior again, I will be taking over his duties." She noticed Molefleck and Twigpaw exchange a look. "If any cat has a problem with Sootpaw being here, you're going to either keep it to yourself or be demoted in the same way Needlefall has. So unless you find yourself desiring to be an apprentice again, I suggest you learn to listen to your leader and trust her judgement."

She leaped down onto the dust, not meeting anyone's eyes as she padded calmly to the medicine den. Pricklestream was watching her with calm eyes.

"That sucked." Fallenstar heard the words come from her mouth, but she didn't seem to control them. "I feel so betrayed by him. He's supposed to support me, not defy my word!"

Pricklestream padded over and gave her friend's ear a few comforting licks. "I know, Fallenstar," she murmured. "But it had to be done. It is important that you remain firm in your decisions, even when you yourself start to doubt them."

The leader looked at her friend in astonishment. "How did you know?"

The silver tabby flicked her ears. "I can sense it. You think it would be easier if Sootpaw weren't here, if you hadn't just said that to Needlefall, if you hadn't announced that to the clan." Her yellow eyes met Fallenstar's. "You think it'd be easier if the prophecy didn't exist. Because then you wouldn't care about who Honeyshine's destiny tied her to, it wouldn't seem important aside from maybe a bit of dissonance over potential half-clan kits around."

Fallenstar fell to her feet, the weight of those words being said out loud crushing her. "I feel like a terrible leader. Milkstar would be so disappointed in me. Maybe he should have chosen a different deputy, all those moons ago." She blinked up at the medicine cat, her longest friend. "I was too young - I'm still too young - to do this. I'm screwing it all up… It's all going wrong."

Pricklestream settled down beside her, her eyes warm. "Nonsense," she purred. "Milkstar knew exactly what he was doing. If you had more experience, perhaps you would be overconfident, and not second guess your decisions. You might lead your clan into battles and situations that could have been avoided if you'd only thought about it once more." She paused. "Because you doubt yourself, while you feel somewhat miserable about some choices, you haven't rushed into anything. You are more sensible for it. That's not to say a little confidence is a bad thing," she added quickly, "especially not right now. Just know that no matter what decisions you make, I'm behind you. And I'm sure - so is Milkstar."

Fallenstar pressed her nose into her medicine cat's fur, the familiar scent calming her. Though her heart was still racing and her head was still clouded with anger, it felt good to know that someone thought that maybe, just maybe, she was making the right decisions.


	17. Chapter 16

Honeyshine watched with flattened ears as Fallenstar disappeared into the medicine den. For a moment, the young warrior couldn't help but the dissonance among the clan was her fault. _If I hadn't been sneaking away to meet and train Sootpaw, this would never have happened!_ She turned to look at her apprentice, who was crouching low to the ground with wide eyes and flattened ears. He caught her eye and padded cautiously over.

"I hate being the cat they whisper about," he muttered, his eyes filled with anxiety. Her misgivings gone, Honeyshine bent down and gave him a few loving licks on his ears.

"I know," she sighed. "But at least Fallenstar is on your side." The pale warrior glanced to the medicine den, where she could see the shape of the leader pressed close to the medicine cat. "If she wasn't, I don't think we'd be talking at all."

Sootpaw nodded, staring down at his paws. "Can we do something?" He asked quietly. "Every cat is looking at me, and I just want to leave the camp. Preferably in the opposite direction of Needlefall, because he might kill me." The patched tom shuddered. Honeyshine wanted to reassure him, but in the current climate, she had fears that he might be right.

"Sure," she said, forcing a purr. "Why don't we go for a hunt? We'll work on your stalking, get you ready for your warrior assessment."

Her apprentice's eyes brightened a bit and he turned to head out of camp, not making eye contact with any cat on his way out. Honeyshine felt the eyes on both of them, some of them curious, some of them kind, and some of them downright angry. The whole reason this had happened was because Twigpaw had to wait another moon to become a warrior. While Honeyshine did think it was somewhat unfair - even she had to admit, the tom had been training for almost 9 moons now - it was more fair to not leave one apprentice doing all the apprentice duties alone as well as training. _But Sootpaw not being clanborn just worsens the blow,_ she thought to herself.

She took the lead from Sootpaw, veering away from Needlefall's scent trail toward the top of their territory, where she had originally begun training the young tom. She looked over to him as they headed that direction, her amber eyes shining, wondering if he was feeling the same memories too. The look he gave her, so full of fondness and gratitude, made her warm from her nose to her tailtip, and she found herself stepping closer to him so they could walk with their pelts brushing.

When she picked up the fresh scent of gray squirrel, she bumped into him gently and raised her tail for quiet. Honeyshine gave a flick of her tail toward where she thought the scent was coming from, and Sootpaw picked up the hint almost immediately, dropping into the hunter's crouch he'd become so accustomed to. His weight was spread evenly on all his paws, and each step he took was light as a feather. His belly barely brushed the ground, just enough to sound like the regular movements of the forest, and his tail was stuck out straight behind him. Honeyshine nodded approvingly - he looked just like a warrior.

In a flash, he leaped about a fox-length over a thick oak root and lifted his head, a fat gray squirrel hanging from his jaws. His yellow eyes were bright with triumph, and Honeyshine could hear his purr from several fox-lengths away.

"Well done!" She praised warmly, her tail in the air happily. "Why don't you bury that under this tree, and we'll come back for it in a bit? That was a brilliant catch! That thing probably weighs more than Oakkit!"

Sootpaw buried the squirrel in the soft earth and turned around, his white paws stained brown. "There's so much prey around," he said, perking his ears. "I can hear the soft scuffling of mice in that bush way over there, and I can smell more bird scents than you could imagine!" As if on cue, a sparrow flitted through the trees just above his head, and he used his powerful hind legs to give a massive leap and grab it out of the air with his paws. He killed it swiftly, and Honeyshine heard him murmur a soft thanks to Starclan.

"You're a brilliant hunter," the golden warrior purred, padding over to headbutt him affectionately. "Every day I train with you, I know Fallenstar made the right choice. Come on, let's turn around, and you can hunt some on the way back."

They carried the prey side by side on their slow walk back to camp, stopping only so that Honeyshine could catch another gray squirrel and Sootpaw a wood mouse. They didn't say a word to each other, but their pelts were brushing, and at times their tails were twined.

By the time they arrived back at camp, the sun was setting, and Fallenstar was in the clearing organizing patrols. She looked up from the group of warriors around her when Sootpaw and Honeyshine pushed through the bracken barrier.

"Ah, welcome back, I see you've had good hunting," she greeted kindly. Sootpaw dipped his head and Honeyshine dropped her prey, nodding. "I know you've just gone out, but would you like to lead a sunset patrol, Honeyshine? You can take Sootpaw and two other warriors, if you like."

Honeyshine nodded eagerly. "Oh, thank you Fallenstar!" Her eyes were bright. "Can I eat first? We did just trek across the territory once. Which border are we patrolling?"

"Just Beachclan," Fallenstar answered. "And of course, but eat quickly. I'd like you back by moon high so you can take Sootpaw out for a hunting mission tomorrow."

Sootpaw's ears perked and he looked at Honeyshine, excitement in his eyes. Honeyshine nodded once again. "Sounds lovely, Fallenstar." She looked around at the gathered warriors, excited to see them all watching her expectantly. They were all waiting for _her_ to decide who she was taking.

She caught the eye of two familiar - and friendly - faces. "Doveflight and Mintleap, would you like to join us?"

The two gray she-cats nodded and padded over to join her. "We might as well eat as well, since you're going to!" Mintleap meowed, eyeing the fresh-kill pile. "Doveflight, would you like to share one of those fat squirrels with me? It looks like Sootpaw made an excellent catch!"

Doveflight nodded, and Honeyshine glanced at her apprentice, who was beaming under the praise. Honeyshine couldn't help but feel grateful that her mother was so accepting of her friend.

The four cats settled down to eat their prey - Honeyshine had a small shrew that one of the hunting patrols caught earlier, and Sootpaw found himself a nice fat chickadee to eat. When they were finished, they stood up and Honeyshine led them out of camp.

"Did Needlefall come back to camp?" She asked mildly, watching for her mother and Doveflight's reaction.

"Oh yes," Doveflight said, her eyes wide. "He was so angry, but he came back with like, three birds, so nobody dared say anything. He curled up in his usual nest in the warriors den and growled at anyone who looked at him."

"He's always been a rather immature cat," Mintleap butted in. "He'll get over it in a day or two, but his ego is hurt that Fallenstar made their falling out so public. If he's smart, he'll be back to being deputy in no time."

Honeyshine nodded, her curiosity tamed. "Do you think he'll get over it?" She asked her mother. "I would be pretty ticked if Fallenstar stripped away my title in front of the entire clan like that, so I don't blame him if he doesn't." She glanced at her apprentice, who was just watching and listening as they walked along. "Even if I do disagree with his standing in the argument."

Mintleap looked thoughtful for a moment. "Probably," she mewed slowly. "But… it might take some time. While a lot of us are upset with him, we have to tread carefully. We don't want to push him past his breaking point while he's dealing with this."

The gray warrior padded up closer to Honeyshine, dropping Sootpaw and Doveflight behind, who began chatting about different fighting techniques they had learned. "I'm actually glad you asked me along," she purred quietly. "It'll be my last border patrol for a while."

Honeyshine met her mother's eyes questioningly. "What do you mean? You can't possibly be moving to the elder's den, you're far too young! Younger than Pricklestream, at least!"

Mintleap let out a soft _mrrow_ of laughter and shook her head. "No, Honeyshine," she mewed. "I'm expecting kits!"

The golden warrior stopped in her tracks, her eyes shining with delight. "Really?" She purred. "I'm getting more siblings? Oh, does Brackenfall know? Does Beeclaw know? How much longer? Oh, I'm so thrilled for you!" She gave her mother's face a few fond licks before walking forward again, this time at a faster pace from her excitement.

"Brackenfall knows, and so does Beeclaw. I told them both while you were out hunting. I had my suspicions for a while, but Pricklestream confirmed it last night. I only have about a moon left, so this really is my last patrol." Her mother gave her a warm look. "I'm so pleased, and so is your father. After losing Flightkit, and almost losing you, I wasn't sure if I ever…" her voice trailed off. "But well, here we are." Mintleap gave her daughter a sly look, her eyes sparking. "And you can't be far behind me, I imagine, what with that tom cat constantly padding after you!"

Honeyshine felt her fur grow hot. "He isn't my mate," she said, embarrassed. "Not until he's a warrior. And I don't know if I want kits! I have a lot more to do before I think about raising a family." She looked back at Sootpaw and thought wistfully about if he had been clanborn. What she had said to her mother was a lie - she did want kits, lots of kits, with her best friend. But the prophecy…

She shook her head. Mintleap went back to looking forward. "Well, your brother is already thinking about it," she said after a while. They were nearing the border now. Honeyshine gave her a quizzical look. "Oh, you mean to tell me you haven't seen him mooning over Lilyglimmer? They even sleep next to each other!"

Honeyshine thought back to their arrangement in the warrior's den. Her mother was right - Beeclaw was always with the light brown she-cat, be it hunting or training together or just sharing tongues in a patch of sun. "I guess you're right," she muttered. She halted as she reached the scent line. "Alright, mark the borders. My paws are so heavy, I need a good rest!"

Her patrol let out a few snorts of laughter before spreading out to remark the borders. Honeyshine padded along carefully, checking for scents within her own lines, when she spotted a Beachclan patrol racing up to her.

"Stop!" She ordered, raising her tail. Her patrol heard her order to the enemy warriors and quickly joined her, pelts bristling. Oakfall, Beachclan's deputy, was at the head of the patrol, followed closely by Rockcloud and an apprentice Honeyshine didn't recognize. "Why are you so eager to meet me at your border?"

Oakfall sneered at the question, her green eyes blazing. "We wanted to make sure you weren't crossing, since _apparently_ Mapleclan can't keep within their borders!"

Honeyshine bristled. "We keep within our borders just fine," she retorted. "Unless you have reason to believe otherwise, you're just thinking of the stories you were told in the nursery."

The deputy's eyes flashed with anger, but her pelt remained smooth, unlike her opposition. "We've smelled Mapleclan _stink_ inside our borders each night for the past quarter moon! Watch where you place your paws," she hissed, "and tell your little clanmates that if they're ever caught, they'll be shredded." With that, the patrol turned tail and raced back into their territory.

"That's a load of squirrel dung if I ever heard it," Doveflight spat, her blue eyes narrowed. "No cat has even pressed their borders, let alone cross it. They've got birds in their brain."

The rest of the patrol nodded as they continued on with their duty, but Honeyshine couldn't get the look in Oakfall's eyes out of her head. She knew it was normal to be challenged at the border by another clan, but the Beachclan warriors had looked so furious, so… convinced. The young warrior found that no matter how much talk of good prey and kits there was during the rest of the patrol, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was going on - and she had to find out.


	18. Chapter 17

Fallenstar was exhausted.

It had been a mere three sunrises since she had demoted Needlefall back to warrior status, save for Gatherings. On top of rearing her kits and dealing with the regular duties of being a leader, she had to be up at dawn and stay up through the return of the sunset patrol, which was usually well around moonhigh. Every day she watched with jealousy as her mate herded her kits into her den and they all napped.

It was sunhigh now, and she was waiting for her warriors to gather around her before she gave the orders for the patrols. Slowly but surely, the warriors who hadn't gone on the dawn patrol or the hunting patrol after they'd returned slipped out of the warriors den, blinking sleep out of their eyes or licking their lips free of the prey they'd eaten. Brackenfall led the group, his broad shoulders being the first to push through the warriors den, followed closely by his kits, Honeyshine and Beeclaw. Flowerleap and her littermate Lilyglimmer followed suit, and Pinewillow, Stonewind, and Barkpelt closed out the group. They all gathered around the dark gray leader, eagerly awaiting their orders.

"Good day," she purred in greeting. They all dipped their heads in return. "Honeyshine, I know you haven't gone out yet, but I want you to go with Molefleck, Twigpaw, and Sootpaw on a hunting mission. You've done this before, but they must each catch as much prey without your help. You should not be seen." The golden warrior dipped her head once more before turning back to call for Molefleck in the warriors den. "Alright, Brackenfall and Beeclaw - why don't you each lead a border patrol? You can start at the top of the territory and work your way to the Willow Grove. You can both take two warriors each." The two toms nodded before turning to their fellow warriors.

Beeclaw quickly padded out of camp with Lilyglimmer and Flowerleap at his tail, while Brackenfall followed more calmly with his patrol of Barkpelt and Pinewillow. The warriors disappeared through the ferns, leaving only Stonewind in the clearing with Fallenstar.

"What about me?" The gray tom's eyes were fixed on Fallenstar. "I haven't done a thing all day."

Fallenstar thought for a moment. "Do you mind…" she trailed off, then cleared her throat and became more confident. "If you don't mind, I'd appreciate if you kept an eye on the camp while I go nap with my family. You're one of my most senior warriors, and I very much trust you. It won't be long, and if I'm not awake by the time those patrols get back, I expect you to wake me."

"Sounds good, Fallenstar," Stonewind mewed, but his face revealed a bit of shock. "You know I've got your back in this," he added quietly to her relieved glance.

The leader dipped her head before turning around and heading to her den, greeting her family with a soft hello. Smokefur looked up, his blue eyes warm, and purred as she laid down beside him for the first time in several days.

All three of her kits were curled up together in their large nest - Stormkit and Cloudkit's pelts seemed to be one, and Milkkit's pale fur was stark against the dark moss underneath him. Fallenstar's whiskers twitched. _If I hadn't given birth to him myself, one would think we're not even related!_ She pressed her nose into her mate's soft fur, the scent of him and her children lulling her to sleep.

"Fallenstar?" The voice cut through her haze of sleep and she lifted her head sleepily. Her kits were up and grooming their fur, and Smokefur was nowhere to be found. She looked out through the den entrance to see Stonewind's blue eyes staring at her intently. "The sunhigh patrol is back. There's something you should hear."

Fallenstar scrambled up out of her nest. "Stay in here, kits," she told them firmly, giving them each a single lick on their head. She followed Stonewind into the clearing and saw Beeclaw and his patrol clawing the ground anxiously. Brackenfall paced behind them, muttering. The leader stopped in her tracks. "What's going on?" She demanded. Beeclaw's green eyes met hers and the fire behind them was frightening.

"There was scents of all three other clans within our borders!" The ginger tom's voice came out as a low growl. Fallenstar's pelt bristled.

"All three? Surely you're mistaken?" The gray leader desperately wanted it to be true, but Beeclaw shook his head. "Was there any signs they hunted on our land? How far into our territory did the scents go?"

"No signs of hunting," Brackenfall reported, before his son could answer. "And only a couple tree-lengths all around. It seemed as if they came into our territory, sat down for a bit, and then left. It's confusing and very concerning. Who knows what they're planning?"

Fallenstar nodded. This was unsettling - it wasn't horribly uncommon to have one scent within their borders, but every clan? Something was wrong. "I want an extra patrol every day," she ordered. "Three warriors or two warriors and an apprentice each. We are going to add a moonhigh patrol on top of our other three. I know it will strain us all, but we have to stop whatever is happening now, before whatever is being planned occurs."

The warriors around her nodded, and she bounded up to the Highbranch to call her clan together. "May all cats old enough to hunt among the shadows gather below the Highbranch for a clan meeting!" Honeyshine and Sootpaw appeared from the fern tunnel, followed closely by Molefleck and Twigpaw, all with confused looks on their faces. The warriors who weren't in the clearing padded out. Fallenstar spotted Needlefall sitting grumpily at the edge of the clearing, the only cat who dared to sit near him being his former apprentice, Spikepelt. She murmured something to him and he twitched his ear irritably.

"As some of you have heard," Fallenstar began, "we've scented all three clan scents behind our own borders." Those who hadn't heard let out a shocked gasp, looking amongst each other with anxiety flashing in their eyes. Fallenstar raised her black-tipped tail for silence. "Because of this, I'm posting an extra patrol every night - a moonhigh patrol. We must leave minimal time for enemies to get into our territory, and every trespasser must be met with harsh words and, if needed, claws." She looked down at her clan, all nodding in agreement, the fury at the trespassers rising like a cloud. "Does everyone understand?" A few cats yowled their agreement. "Mapleclan will not be invaded!"

Her clan cheered, and for the first time in moons, she felt the weight of her clan's support. She jumped off the Highbranch and weaved through her clan, answering questions as she went. At last, she came up to Brackenfall and Beeclaw.

"I know you two both went out just a bit ago," she said apologetically, "but I'd like for you to get something to eat and then join me on a patrol of the entire border. I'm going to bring Pinewillow along as well, I want it to be a patrol of strong cats. I want to see where the scents are." The two toms nodded before going to quickly grab something to eat. Fallenstar turned around to see her kits bounding out of her den.

"Mother! Mother!" Cloudkit's voice carried across the clearing to her, laced with excitement. "We heard about the trespassers! Can we learn to fight? Please? We want to protect the camp!"

Fallenstar opened her mouth to answer, but Stormkit interrupted. "You and Milkkit want to learn to fight," he corrected crossly. " _I_ know how hard it is to heal battle wounds. I don't get why you're so eager! Didn't you see Sootpaw last moon?"

Their mother's whiskers twitched with amusement - Stormkit would always be her level-headed, bossy son. "You can't learn to fight," Fallenstar purred, twitching her ears at her daughter's groan of displeasure. "Not for another moon yet! But you can ask Stonewind if he needs any help strengthening the barriers to the camp."

Milkkit nodded eagerly, but Cloudkit was still scowling. "Come on, Cloudkit," Milkkit urged, turning around to go run up to the senior warrior. Stormkit followed him calmly, and at last, Fallenstar's daughter finally turned around and stomped after her brothers, grumbling quietly.

Fallenstar rolled her eyes and headed over to Brackenfall, Beeclaw, and Pinewillow, who were all licking their lips after sharing a squirrel. "Are you ready?"

Brackenfall nodded. "Let's go. The sooner we get a move on, the sooner we can get back." He padded over to his mate, who was sitting by the entrance to the nursery, and murmured something softly in her ear. Mintleap gave his cheek a swift lick and Brackenfall came back to join the patrol.

"Alright, let's go then," Fallenstar meowed, and took off for the fern tunnel. She headed first for the northern part of the Owlclan border, as it was much closer to camp. She raced through the forest, not stopping for the sounds and scents of prey, however tempting they were. When she reached the border, she looked around for any sign of intruders.

"The first scents were down the border a little bit," Beeclaw informed her. "Do you want us to be marking?"

Fallenstar nodded. "I want every single tree on our border to be drenched with the smell of Mapleclan. If they missed it before, they won't miss it now. Come on," she instructed, before marking one of the trees herself. Pinewillow and Brackenfall followed suit, while Beeclaw started making his way down the border line.

"It's here," he said after a few minutes. Fallenstar stalked over and bristled at the stench of Owlclan.

"Well, there's no mistaking that," she hissed. "Smell this! It's pooled, like they've sat here and shared tongues! Starclan help me if we cross a patrol."

Fallenstar continued on their line, relaxing a little as they had yet to come on any more scents inside their border. She padded beside Beeclaw, with Pinewillow and Brackenfall behind her. She gestured for them to walk together, deciding she wanted to choose now to tell the two toms about their new apprentices.

"Beeclaw," she began. "Do you think you're ready for the responsibility of an apprentice?"

The ginger tom's ears perked up. "I'm still young," he responded slowly. "But if you trust me with an apprentice, I'd do the absolute best I could."

"Lovely," she purred. "And Brackenfall, do you think you're ready for another apprentice? It's been several seasons since Flowerleap was made a warrior, and don't think I've forgotten about you." Fallenstar was pleased to see the light brown tom nod eagerly. "My kits need strong mentors who know the warrior code inside and out. Beeclaw, I've never seen a cat more dedicated to the code than you. Brackenfall… well, who else is going to train my spitfire daughter?"

Brackenfall let out a soft mrrow of laughter. "I'm always up for a good challenge," he purred. "That kit of yours might give you a run for your position, Fallenstar!"

Fallenstar snorted. "She'll need to learn some obedience before she can even dream of taking on the responsibility! Milkkit will be easier for you, Beeclaw, but I'm sure he'll still be a challenge. Those two will get into some mischief before they're warriors, I'm sure of it!"

But Beeclaw wasn't paying attention anymore. He had stopped, his mouth open and his eyes narrowed. "Owlclan was here," he hissed. Fallenstar scented it as soon as he'd said it, but she smelled a much fresher scent, too - coming from upwind.

"Stop!" Fallenstar heard the loud growl of Talonstar ring through the trees just before the thick-furred tabby appeared, Falconwing and Icestorm hard on her heels. "What do you think you're doing so close to our border?"

"A border patrol," Fallenstar answered flatly, forcing her fur to remain calm. These fox-hearts had been trespassing, and they dared question _her_ of her intentions? "We've had a sudden appearance of Owlclan scent inside our borders. Do you have any idea where that came from, Talonstar?" She met the older she-cat's yellow eyes calmly, not betraying her anger. She saw Falconwing lash his tail angrily, but he said nothing.

"Perhaps you could answer the same question?" Talonstar sneered, making no effort to keep her own pelt flat. "We've smelled your own clanmates behind _our_ borders, so maybe you should keep a handle on your own warriors before questioning mine."

Fallenstar opened her mouth to answer, but she noticed a quick look flash between Icestorm and Beeclaw. Did the young warriors know something about the scents? The leader shook her head, going back to the present. She could ask Beeclaw later. "I think you're imagining things, Talonstar. But perhaps you'd like me to come over and check for myself?"

Talonstar hissed viciously. "No need, Fallenstar. Just make sure you can keep an eye on your _kittypet_ warriors." The word "kittypet" came out as a mocking sneer.

Fallenstar let out a hiss of annoyance, but said nothing, turning to continue on her border patrol. Pinewillow's fur was fluffed up, and Beeclaw's claws were working the ground. Only Brackenfall remained calm, murmuring calming words into Beeclaw's ears.

"Come on," she heard him say. "Anything Owlclan ever had for brain has long been turned into muscle. They're just rearing for a fight."

Unfortunately, Fallenstar wasn't the only cat who heard it. Ignoring Talonstar's growl of warning, Falconwing leaped at Brackenfall, claws outstretched. "I'll show you muscle," the tom hissed.

"No!" Fallenstar shrieked. Falconwing was jumping straight for Brackenfall's throat - Brackenfall, who was the father of Honeyshine, who was the mate of an expecting queen, who was to be the mentor of her only daughter. Without thinking, she jumped in front of him, hissing in defiance as she just managed to get between the enemy warrior and one of her most loyal clanmates.

Falconwing's claws sunk into her neck, and she felt something hot and sticky spray her paws. _Is that my blood?_ She thought, making a massive effort to swipe at the Owlclan deputy. The last thing she was aware of was Talonstar shrieking for Falconwing to return to her side - and then Fallenstar's entire world went black.


	19. Chapter 18

Honeyshine was dimly aware of paws thudding into the clearing as she lifted her head from her nest in the warrior's den. The only other cat in there was Lilyglimmer, who was giving herself a good washing after trekking around the territory.

The fear scent hit her before the stench of blood, and she shot up and ran out of her nest at once. Pinewillow ran into camp, her green eyes wide with fear. Behind her, Beeclaw and Brackenfall pushed through the barrier, working together to carry the large, unconscious shape of Fallenstar.

Pricklestream dashed out of the medicine den carrying a bundle of herbs in her mouth. "Stop moving her!" She cried, dropping the leaves by Fallenstar's body as the toms set her down. Honeyshine caught sight of Smokefur ushering his kits into the leader's den urgently, mewing kind words laced with anxiety.

"Great Starclan, what happened?" Honeyshine asked, padding up to her brother and her father. Beeclaw looked at her, his green eyes dark.

"Owlclan has wasps under their fur, I think," he spat. "They accused us of trespassing on their territory, and Brackenfall was calming me down, and Falconwing overheard." Beeclaw shuddered. "He just leaped at Dad… Fallenstar jumped in the way and took Falconwing's claws to her throat. She passed out there, and we carried her back, but she hasn't stopped breathing…" His voice trailed off. "Talonstar was so angry, she was shrieking at Falconwing like no tomorrow. I wouldn't be surprised if he got the Needlefall treatment, not that he would ever admit it."

Honeyshine listened to the story, her mouth gaping in shock. Another clan's deputy had leapt at her father, against his leader's wishes, and had severely injured another cat. Another leader!

She was distracted from her thoughts when she heard a small wail come from where Fallenstar was laying in the grass. Honeyshine looked over to see Pricklestream with her muzzle pressed into Fallenstar's thick gray fur.

The leader's chest wasn't rising and falling. "She's losing a life…" Honeyshine breathed. She held her own breath waiting for Fallenstar to open her eyes once more. The wound in her neck had stopped bleeding, and Pricklestream had stopped wailing and was now just sitting with her chin on her paws.

After what seemed like seasons, Fallenstar took a gasping breath. Her orange eyes opened wide and she let out several hacking coughs. The gray leader weakly tried to get to her paws, but she quickly stumbled back to her side, panting heavily.

"Don't move, Fallenstar," Honeyshine heard Pricklestream murmur urgently. "You've lost a life. You're going to be okay now, but you need to recover. Give yourself a few moments, then we'll help you to my den."

Honeyshine looked over at the cats who were walking toward their leader, relief sagging their shoulders. Among them were Brackenfall, who's life Fallenstar had likely saved, and Smokefur, her mate. Needlefall was nowhere to be found, however, much to the golden warrior's surprise.

"Hopefully she doesn't lose anymore lives," Beeclaw said, interrupting her thoughts. Honeyshine nodded absentmindedly, glancing over at her brother. To her surprise, his green eyes were filled with… guilt?

"The wound that killed her will be healed," Honeyshine reassured him. She pressed her body close to him. "Do you feel guilty that you couldn't do anything?"

Beeclaw looked over at his sister in surprise. "A little," he admitted quickly. "It all happened so fast, I didn't know what to do. I'd barely noticed Falconwing jumping before she was…" He shook his head. "Before she was on the ground, bleeding. Talonstar practically dragged Falconwing back, but it was already too late. We carried her back as quickly as we could, but it wasn't enough."

Honeyshine licked his ears affectionately. "She's okay now," she promised. "Now Pricklestream can take care of her and she'll heal up perfectly. Stronger than before, even."

"I guess you're right," Beeclaw said, flashing her a grateful glance. "I think I'm going to go talk to Mintleap. She looked shaken. Will you send Brackenfall over?"

His sister nodded. Honeyshine, too, had seen how her mother had fluffed out to twice her side when her family had walked in carrying the unconscious body of her leader. Now, the gray she-cat was pacing back and forth at the entrance of the nursery, every so often looking up at her mate, as if to make sure he hadn't crumpled up and died, too.

Honeyshine padded over to where her father was speaking urgently to Fallenstar, his voice hushed. "I'm so sorry," he apologized earnestly. "This is all my fault. If I had never insulted Owlclan, this wouldn't have happened. I'm so sorry," the brown warrior repeated.

Fallenstar blinked up at him with clear orange eyes. "Nonsense," she rasped, her voice low. "I was given extra lives to protect my Clan. I would lay my life down for my Clanmates nine times over and walk to Starclan knowing I'd fulfilled my duty." The gray leader let out a cough. "You only have one life to live. Do not feel guilty, Brackenfall. This is what I'm here for."

Her father dipped his head in gratitude before turning away from Fallenstar. He met Honeyshine's amber gaze for a moment, his own eyes filled with sadness.

"Beeclaw thinks you should go talk to Mother," she murmured, pressing her face to her father's fur. "I'm glad you're okay," she added.

He licked her ear warmly, but didn't say anything before he walked away toward his mate and son. Honeyshine looked down at her leader, who looked small and pitiful laying in the dust the way she was. At the sound of Honeyshine's approach, Fallenstar opened her eyes to meet the golden warrior's.

"Honeyshine," she meowed, the strength seeming to come back to her a bit. "Troubling things are upon us. A Clan deputy leaped at a warrior's throat. It seems as if every Clan is trespassing on each other's territory. It feels as if…" Fallenstar stopped, out of breath. "It feels as if the code is slipping away from us. What are you going to do?"

Honeyshine couldn't stop the startled gasp from leaving her body. "What am _I_ going to do?" She repeated her leader, shocked. "I… don't know what I can do, Fallenstar. How do we know this is what the prophecy speaks of, anyway? How do we know _I'm_ what the prophecy speaks of?" She let out a soft hiss of annoyance. "My name could be a coincidence. No, Fallenstar, I'm not going to do anything. I'm barely a warrior. You're the leader… you figure out what to do. I can't do this. I'm sorry."

Without waiting to see the leader's reaction, Honeyshine turned and stalked away, the words she had just said burning on her tongue. She wasn't thinking when she pelted through the fern tunnel, her paws pounding the soft earth as she propelled herself toward the Owlclan border.

She stopped to take a breath, looking around her. She could smell the border markers ahead, but now she wasn't sure where she was going.

"Honeyshine?" A voice behind her said. She whipped around to see Sootpaw standing there, his yellow eyes wide with anxiety. "Where are you going?"

The answer came to Honeyshine, whether she'd thought it or not. "I'm going to the Moofalls," she said decidedly, meeting his eyes calmly. "I need to speak to Starclan, so I'm going to."

Sootpaw padded up to her, and for the first time, Honeyshine noticed how his muscles seemed to ripple underneath his sleek fur and how much larger than her he was. "If you're going to be traveling along that border," he said, gesturing to Owlclan's land with his head, "I'm coming with you. They'll flay you if you're found alone."

For a moment, the golden warrior seemed as if she was going to argue, but thought better of it. She rubbed her face along Sootpaw's, purring warmly. "I'm glad I have you," she murmured. She turned and padded toward the border with Owlclan, twining her tail with her friend's.

The journey seemed longer than she remembered, probably due to her lack of traveling herbs this time. Several times it seemed as if they had just missed an Owlclan patrol, but they walked the entirety of the journey unchallenged.

At last, Honeyshine and Sootpaw came to the wide, flat river that cascaded down into the Moonfalls. They jumped down the cliff trail silently, slipping into the tunnel with the moon high over head.

When they came to the cave, Honeyshine stopped, breathing a sigh of relief. "Starclan, give me some answers," she pleaded, before taking a sip of the cool water of the pool. The familiar chill creeped over her body and she felt herself falling into sleep.


	20. Chapter 19

Fallenstar padded weakly to Pricklestream's den, grateful for the support of her friend on one side and her mate on the other. "I've never known Honeyshine to snap like that," she rasped as they entered the den and she sunk into a plush moss nest. "Has something happened that I'm not aware of?"

Smokefur tipped his head in confusion. "Why are you so concerned over a cat who is barely a warrior when you just lost a life?" His blue eyes were clouded with concern.

"I hate to say it, Fallenstar, but Smokefur is right on this one." Pricklestream lifted her head from the herbs she was laying out gently with her paws. "You need to focus on healing. StarClan healed the wound that killed you, but you're still very weak, so I want you here overnight. Stonewind will take care of your duties," she said harshly when the leader opened her mouth to protest. "I won't hear another word."

The medicine cat turned her yellow eyes to Smokefur. "Why don't you go get the kits? We've cleaned her up, they need to see she's okay. I'm sure they are frightened out of their fur right now." Fallenstar's mate nodded before rushing out of the den to go get their children.

Fallenstar coughed before she turned to face her medicine cat. "I'm serious, you know. Honeyshine doesn't snap like that, and she left camp afterward. Something is going on. I need to find out what!"

Pricklestream sighed and pushed some leaves over to the gray leader. "Chew," she ordered. Fallenstar began chewing so she continued. "Have you considered that maybe you're putting too much pressure on a cat that has yet to see two cycles of seasons? No, don't talk. Chew. Listen, Fallenstar, I know you're anxious about this prophecy. So am I, but we can't keep interfering in her life. Ever since the day she tumbled out of the nursery with her brother, you've been watching her like she's a juicy bit of prey. Whatever the prophecy means, it's going to play out. Honeyshine is a good, loyal cat. Her paws are set on a good path. When the prophecy is fulfilled, we'll know, alright? Just let her live her life, train her apprentice, and do what she's going to do for now." The pale medicine cat took a breath. "It is not her duty to protect her clan, Fallenstar. It's yours."

Fallenstar was taken aback. She opened her mouth to spit back a harsh reply, but was greeted with a terrible pain at her throat instead, causing her to mewl helplessly like a kit. "Ow," she whimpered, though she could feel rage coursing through her. How dare her medicine cat speak to her that way, and how _dare_ her body refuse her the right to reply? She lashed her black-tipped tail as the gray medicine cat bent her head to lap gently at the wound on Fallenstar's neck, easing the pain. "Just because you're my best friend doesn't mean I'm not angry," Fallenstar said at last. Pricklestream flicked her ear but did not respond.

Smokefur appeared by her side once more, this time with their kits. "Fallenstar," he purred, his blue eyes warm. "Look who I've brought."

Fallenstar looked up at her kits, all of whom seemed wary to be near her. "Don't worry, my loves," she managed to purr. "I'll be perfectly fine by tomorrow. It's just a scratch. I'm not leaving you, I promise."

Cloudkit padded cautiously toward her mother, her ears flat and her eyes filled with questions. After sniffing the gray cat's fur for a few moments, she finally spoke. "Did it hurt? Did you meet Starclan?"

The gray she-cat couldn't help but let out a somewhat painful snort of laughter. "To be honest, dear one, I can't remember if it hurt. I did meet Starclan, but we've met before." She looked to her sons, her heart in her throat when she saw the fear on their tiny faces. "Do you have questions, little ones?"

Stormkit nodded and came close to her, sitting by her belly, but he didn't look at his mother. Instead he looked to Pricklestream, his blue eyes wide. "What did you give her? What's on her neck? How come Starclan can heal wounds so quickly but we can't?"

Pricklestream flicked her tail at the tom. "I gave her burnet to bring her strength back, and chamomile to calm her nerves. On the wound there's marigold to prevent infection, but it's mostly healed. There's no bleeding anymore. And Starclan does whatever they please, that's why. We're bound by the laws of nature."

Stormkit nodded before turning back to Fallenstar and curling up against her belly like he used to when he was still nursing. "I'm glad you had nine lives," he whispered.

Milkkit neatly tucked himself next to his brother. "When I'm a warrior, I'm going to be as brave as you," he vowed before closing his eyes on his mother's flank. Cloudkit was the last to settle down, her orange eyes trained on Fallenstar.

"Mother," she sighed. For a moment, the young cat looked far older than she was as she curled herself up next to her brothers. "Mother, I was scared. Please don't do that again."

Fallenstar felt her heart break as she struggled to give her kit a reassuring lick on her head. "I'll do my best," she vowed. She attempted to curl her tired body around her kits, failing because of how big they'd gotten, and fell into a fitful sleep.

Fallenstar awoke near moonhigh. The pale moonlight seeped down into the clearing through the few gaps in the leaves, dappling her kits's fur silver. They slept soundly, and Smokfur slept on the other side of them, snoring lightly.

The leader's strength had returned from her lost life. She hauled herself to her paws, ignored the disgruntled whimpering of her sleeping kits, and limped into the clearing. Streamleaf was sitting guard outside the camp, occasionally looking around for danger. Fallenstar could see the outline of Mintleap, who's wide yellow eyes were trained on the leader, in the entrance to the nursery. She heard the hushed whispers of Beeclaw and a few other warriors on the edge of camp, waiting to leave on the moonhigh patrol. Her clan was calm, either sleeping through the night or quietly watching the world around them.

Fallenstar tasted the air and frowned. She couldn't smell Honeyshine in camp. Come to think of it, she couldn't smell Sootpaw either. She shook out her dark gray fur, wincing at the slight stretch in her neck. _They're probably just out for a late night hunt,_ she decided. They always clung to each other like burrs when the other was upset, seemingly inseparable despite the forces around them.

Pricklestream's words rang through her ears. _Honeyshine is a good, loyal cat. Her paws are on a good path._ The gray medicine cat was right. In the seasons since the golden warrior's birth, Fallenstar had been focusing far too much on turning her into a loyal warrior and shoving the duty of protecting her clan from an unknown threat into Honeyshine's paws. The reality was, Honeyshine was already a loyal warrior - so loyal she agreed to train a cat barely younger than herself just days after her warrior ceremony. Not to mention the fact that the words that Pricklestream had said, biting so harshly into Fallenstar's heart, were true. It was not Honeyshine's duty to protect the clan from danger. It was the leader's, who had been given eight lives beyond a normal warrior's to be able to do just that. To be able to do what she'd done yesterday - fling herself under the claws of an enemy warrior to save the life of a clanmate.

So Fallenstar sat in the center of the clearing beside the fresh-kill pile, her ears pricked for the sounds of her Clan around her. Snowwhisker was hushing Oakkit in the nursery, Twigpaw was snoring loudly in his den alone. Once again, she heard the urgent whispers of the moon high patrol before they left.

"Just do what I say," Fallenstar heard a voice growl. _Needlefall._

"Yes, Needlefall." Another voice - Beeclaw's. Fallenstar knew Beeclaw was supposed to be leading this patrol, but perhaps he let Needlefall take over to help his ego. "We just have to remember to actually mark the borders tonight."

Fallenstar froze. The marking the borders was the entire point of a border patrol - what did they mean they'd have to remember to do it? The patrol slipped out of camp. In addition to Beeclaw and Needlefall, Molefleck was with them at the rear, his ears perked. For a moment, the gray leader considered following them, but then remembered her lack of strength. She felt better than she had a while ago, but Fallenstar knew she couldn't go trekking across the territory. Not tonight, anyway.

Fallenstar sighed in frustration, her tail tip twitching. She would investigate tomorrow, after she'd had a good meal and gained even more of her strength back. Tonight, she padded back into the medicine den, laid down with her family, and drifted off into a nightmare-disturbed sleep.


	21. Chapter 20 SNEAK PEAK

A/N: Oh my god I'm so sorry it's been so long, y'all. I have serious writers block and school has been kicking my butt. However, this chapter _will_ get finished once I get my muse back. It's about half done right now. So until then... enjoy this sneak peak!

* * *

"You shouldn't be here, Honeyshine." Milkstar's voice was quiet and frosty. Honeyshine had not awoken in StarClan; instead she remained in the cave outside of her body. She could see Sootpaw curled up close to her own sleeping form, but he took no notice of the voices around him. "This place isn't for ordinary warriors."

Honeyshine frowned. "I'm not an ordinary warrior, though, am I?" She felt a swell of satisfaction when Milkstar scowled. "You made sure of that. I want answers, Milkstar."

The massive leader sighed and sat down under an overhanging ledge, protecting himself from the spray. "Come, sit," he urged, motioning for her to join him with his tail. "I can't give you all the answers," he began. "I don't know if I can give you any, but I can show you glimpses of the future. Perhaps it will help."

In a blink, Honeyshine was no longer sitting under the roof of the cave. Instead, she was standing on the border of MapleClan and OwlClan. The reek of OwlClan swirled around her, and she could see unclear shapes of cats slipping through the undergrowth and crossing the border without regard. "Who are these cats?"

Milkstar only shook his head and followed the shapes. They still reeked of OwlClan. As they got closer to the center of MapleClan's territory, the scents of MountainClan and BeachClan mingled in, choking Honeyshine until she felt she would drown in the stench. "Why are you here?" Her cry went unnoticed as more cat shapes joined in and headed toward MapleClan's camp.

The scene changed again. Honeyshine was in the center of the camp as life went on around her. She couldn't tell which cat was which until Needlefall and Beeclaw stepped out of the warrior's den, their eyes shining. They swapped urgent whispers before bounding out of camp. "Milkstar! Why can I see them? What does this mean?"  
Milkstar looked at her with a great sadness on his face. "I can't tell you, Honeyshine." The world changed to the Moon Falls once more. They were back under the overhang with the roar of the waterfall echoing around them. "You must prepare. The hardest times of your life have yet to come." The old tom leaned forward so his face was nearly touching her's. "You must heal the break, Honeyshine. Peace will not return until the break is mended."


End file.
